PATHUM THANI : A man has turned himself in to police to face assault charges after claiming his twin brother was mistakenly found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison for the crime he committed.
Anek Ounwong, 30, arrived at Pratunam Chulalongkorn police station yesterday in Thanyaburi district along with his mother Boonkerd Ounwong.
Mr Anek said he had been involved in an assault on Nov 19, 2010.
He had a fight with a group of teenagers, attacked them with a grass cutter and fled.
According to Mr Anek, he was unaware that his twin, Anont, had been prosecuted and sentenced to four years in jail in connection with the case, until he came home last week after being on the run.
"I want to take responsibility for what I did. My brother has a family to take care of," he said. He appealed to police to review the case.
Ms Boonkerd said she tried in vain to tell police they had the wrong person.
Anont was booked for traffic law violations a few months after the assault, she said.
He had with him Mr Anek's identification and police mistook him for the assault suspect.
Ms Boonkerd said she had sought help and received an amount of money from the Justice Ministry's fund to get Anont out on bail.
He was released from prison last month during the appeal.
The Appeal Court recently upheld the jail term against Anont who has served about 14 months so far.
Pathum Thani police chief Samitthi Mukdasanit said yesterday the case was finalised and beyond police jurisdiction. He suggested both men petition the prosecution or the courts of justice.
"Police are ready to comply. But at this moment there is nothing we can do," he said.
Anek Ounwong, 30, arrived at Pratunam Chulalongkorn police station yesterday in Thanyaburi district along with his mother Boonkerd Ounwong.
Mr Anek said he had been involved in an assault on Nov 19, 2010.
He had a fight with a group of teenagers, attacked them with a grass cutter and fled.
According to Mr Anek, he was unaware that his twin, Anont, had been prosecuted and sentenced to four years in jail in connection with the case, until he came home last week after being on the run.
"I want to take responsibility for what I did. My brother has a family to take care of," he said. He appealed to police to review the case.
Ms Boonkerd said she tried in vain to tell police they had the wrong person.
Anont was booked for traffic law violations a few months after the assault, she said.
He had with him Mr Anek's identification and police mistook him for the assault suspect.
Ms Boonkerd said she had sought help and received an amount of money from the Justice Ministry's fund to get Anont out on bail.
He was released from prison last month during the appeal.
The Appeal Court recently upheld the jail term against Anont who has served about 14 months so far.
Pathum Thani police chief Samitthi Mukdasanit said yesterday the case was finalised and beyond police jurisdiction. He suggested both men petition the prosecution or the courts of justice.
"Police are ready to comply. But at this moment there is nothing we can do," he said.
