Canada extradites former military soldier to Thailand to face murder trial

A former Canadian soldier has been extradited to Thailand over his role in a gangland killing.

Mathew Dupre, 38, is wanted in the alleged murder of criminal gang member Jimi Singh ‘Slice’ Sandhu in Phuket in February last year.

Thailand’s central investigation bureau commissioner, Jirabhop Bhuridej, told reporters on Monday that Mr Dupre was flown to Bangkok to face murder charges.

He was brought to Thailand on a special flight with a team from Bangkok onboard on Sunday at around 11pm, according to Bangkok Post.

A Thai air force craft was used since commercial airlines declined requests, Thai police said.

“We have to get hold of the suspect so that he be prosecuted under the Thai judicial system,” said state prosecutor Intranee Sumawong, adding that Dupre would not face the death penalty under the extradition bill.

“We have to ensure that there is security in Thailand and uphold our reputation that this country is safe to live in,” she said.

The flight landed at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport’s Wing 6 terminal, used for domestic flights and which was temporarily closed for security reasons.

On 4 February last year, two men shot Canadian gang member Jimi Singh Sandhu dead in the parking lot of his rented beachfront villa on Rawai Beach in the Muang district of Phuket. The two were filmed entering the villa by a security camera. Local police identified Dupre as one of the suspects.

Two days later, the suspects left Thailand for Canada.

On 11 February 2022, the Phuket Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Dupre and his alleged accomplice on charges of premeditated murder.

The second wanted suspect in the case, 36-year-old Gene Lahrkamp, died in a small-plane crash in Canada in May 2022. At the time of his death, Lahrkamp was one of the most wanted criminals in Canada with a bounty of £60,000 on his head.

Jimi ‘Slice’ Sandhu was born in India and raised in Abbotsford, British Columbia, where he later joined the United Nations gang. In 2016, he was deported. He, however, remained a leading member of the gang that was originally founded in 1997.