An alleged gunman who came to the rescue of protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) under attack by armed men at Lak Si intersection during the demonstration against the Yingluck government in 2014 was sentenced to 37 years and 4 months imprisonment by the Supreme Court today .
The Supreme Court overruled the acquittal verdict of the Appeals Court and upheld the guilty verdict of the Criminal Court against 28-year-old Vivat Yodprasit, better known as “Popcorn” gunman – the hooded gunman who was seen covering his assault rifle with a green and yellow corn bag as he fought off armed men allegedly linked to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) attacking PDRC protesters at Lak Si road intersection, in Lak Si district of Bangkok.
The defendant was charged by the prosecutor with murder, attempted murder , illegal possession of firearms and carrying firearms in public without permission. He was accused of shooting to death Mr Arkaew sae Liew and seriously wounding three others, namely Ms Somboon Sakthong, Nakarin Utsaha and Payon Kongprang who were at IT Square shopping mall near Lak Si intersection.
In upholding the Criminal Court’s guilty verdict, the Supreme Court said that evidence from the police, including video footage at Lai Si intersection of the State Railway of Thailand, clip from the internet and testimony from the gunman’s brother confirmed that Mr Vivat was the “Popcorn” gunman.
