Former yakuza leader extradited to Japan
Shirai Shigeharu, 72, a former leader of a branch of the Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza syndicate, was handed over to Japanese authorities at Suvarnabhumi airport at 9pm.
The extradition was overseen by deputy national police chief Wirachai Songmetta, amid tight security at the airport.
Pol Col Keisuke Hosaka, first secretary and police attache at the Japanese embassy, also gave reports on yakuza syndicate operations in Thailand to Pol Gen Wirachai.
On arrival in Japan, Mr Shigeharu was to be questioned and then handed over to prosecutors for arraignment and trial.
He was arrested in Lop Buri province’s Muang district on Jan 10.
The wanted gangster faces a charge of colluding with other members of the gang to kill a rival yakuza leader in 2003. He has been hiding in Thailand since 2005.
Mr Shigeharu admitted to Thai police he is a former leader of a branch of the Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza ring. He denied involvement in the murder.
Vocabulary:
arraignment (noun): bringing somebody to court in order to formally accuse them of a crime - การฟ้องกล่าวโทษ, การนำตัวขึ้นศาล
attaché : a person who works at an embassy, usually with a special responsibility for a particular area of activity - เจ้าหน้าที่สถานทูต,ผู้ช่วยทูต
extradition : sending someone accused of a crime back to the country where the crime was committed for trial or punishment - การส่งผู้ร้ายข้ามแดน
rival : a person you are competing against or opposing - คู่แข่ง
syndicate : a group of people or companies who work together and help each other in order to achieve a particular aim - สมาคม, องค์การ, สหการ , การรวมกลุ่มเป็นสมาคม
trial : the process of examining a case in a court of law and deciding whether someone has or has not committed a crime - การพิจารณาคดี
yakuza (n): a Japanese organized crime syndicate similar to the Mafia -
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