Bookie killed punter who won $78,000
HANOI - A Vietnamese court has sentenced to death a Thai broker of an illegal football gambling ring who killed a punter to avoid paying out US$45,000 (S$78,000) that the man had won, a court official said yesterday.
Denchai Nuntipanich, 33, was found guilty at the end of a two-day trial by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court of murdering the Vietnamese punter in a hotel room on June 27, 2000.
The dismembered body of Mr Ngu Luong was discovered by hotel staff three days later, stuffed into black plastic bags under the bed. The victim's head and neck are still missing, the official said.
The Thai national, who is married to a Vietnamese woman, was arrested on July 1, 2000 in the southern business capital.
A blood-stained backpack that belonged to the victim was found in his house.
Denchai denied murdering Luong and said it was the work of Thai gangsters. -- AFP
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,191693,00.html
HANOI - A Vietnamese court has sentenced to death a Thai broker of an illegal football gambling ring who killed a punter to avoid paying out US$45,000 (S$78,000) that the man had won, a court official said yesterday.
Denchai Nuntipanich, 33, was found guilty at the end of a two-day trial by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court of murdering the Vietnamese punter in a hotel room on June 27, 2000.
The dismembered body of Mr Ngu Luong was discovered by hotel staff three days later, stuffed into black plastic bags under the bed. The victim's head and neck are still missing, the official said.
The Thai national, who is married to a Vietnamese woman, was arrested on July 1, 2000 in the southern business capital.
A blood-stained backpack that belonged to the victim was found in his house.
Denchai denied murdering Luong and said it was the work of Thai gangsters. -- AFP
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,191693,00.html
