The Criminal Court sentenced a Thai man to life in prison today, for the murder of a Cambodian former opposition politician in broad daylight in Bangkok in January.
While visiting Bangkok with his wife, French national Lim Kimya, a former opposition lawmaker in Cambodia, was shot dead on January 7th by Ekkalak Paenoi.
Ekkalak was arrested in Cambodia a day after the shooting and confessed to the murder in a livestream video. He did not say who ordered the killing.
The murder drew attention both domestically and internationally, as it took place in broad daylight on a busy street in the heart of Bangkok and was linked to Cambodia’s powerful leader, Hun Sen.
The trial began just three days ago with witness testimony, including from Lim Kimya's widow, Anne-Marie Lim. "Anne-Marie is probably satisfied with today's verdict, but she is still wants to know who ordered the crime," her lawyer, Nadhthasiri Bergman, told reporters outside the court on Friday.
"She wants authorities to get to the bottom of it… We know the suspects are in Cambodia, and the Thai government could help push the extradition process to bring them to justice," Bergman added.
The judge did not provide details about the killer's motive or mention the possibility that there was a mastermind behind the murder.
In January, however, Thai police said that they were also seeking to arrest a Cambodian national believed to be behind the killing.
The court dismissed the charges against a second defendant, Thai national Chakrit Buakhil, who was accused of driving Ekkalak to the Cambodian border after the shooting.
"He was only a driver and did not know what was happening," Chakrit's lawyer, Natchapon Moosakopas, told AFP.
Earlier this year, some Thai media reported that Ekkalak was paid 60,000 baht (approximately $1,800) for the murder, but police said he claimed he was not paid and did it "to repay a debt of gratitude."
Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Manet, has claimed that neither his government nor his father, Hun Sen, were involved in the murder.
