A Thai construction Tycoon who shot and cooked a rare black leopard at a wildlife sanctuary in 2018 has been handed a three-year jail sentence by the Supreme Court of Thailand.
Premchai Karnasuta, president of Italian-Thai Development PLC, one of Thailand’s largest corporations was arrested at night at a campsite inside the Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in February 2018.
He had been caught with soup made from a freshly killed black leopard.
The incident caused outrage globally and widespread condemnation.
66-year-old Premchai arrived at the court on Wednesday morning with a walking cane and a bandage over his left eye, according to Bangkok Post, while the other two defendants in the case were also present.
His former driver Yong Dodkreua was sentenced to three years and five months in prison, while his hunter was given three years and nine months.
Premchai himself was sentenced to three years and two months after being found guilty of possessing wildlife carcasses as well as poaching and carrying weapons without a permit. A compensation fee of BHT 2 million will also be exacted for damage to nature from the group’s illegal hunting.
The defendants were fitted with electronic tags as they waited to be transported to Thong Pha Phum prison. They were also tested for Covid-19.
—
Join our Telegram channel to receive our regular news updates.
