the Supreme Court for the first hearing on Friday.
(Photo by Kitja Apichonrojarek)
Ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra came to the
Supreme Court on Friday for the first hearing of a trial in
which she was charged with dereliction of duty in the
rice-pledging programme.
If she is found guilty, she could face a jail term up to 10 years.
She arrived at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for
Persons Holding Political Positions at Government Complex
in Bangkok at 8.30am.
The former PM was greeted by a crowd of supporters and
some of her former cabinet ministers and Pheu Thai party
members, including Kittiratt Na-Ranong, Yanyong Phuangrach
and Vorachai Hema, Thai media reported.
Barriers were put up amid tight security provided by 100
policemen. Ms Yingluck's supporters were not allowed to
hold placards.
Saneh Maneechote, a rice farmer from Bang Lane,
Nakhon Pathom province, gave her an ear of withered rice,
a symbol of his plight.
He urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-ocha to also look
after farmers, following aid for rubber planters announced
this week.
Asked whether she was worried about new prosecutor witnesses
who had never testified to the National Anti-Corruption
Commission (NACC), Ms Yingluck said she was hoping
for the best. (Story continues below)
"We're trying our best and are ready to
bring our witnesses
in April." Four prosecution witnesses will be heard
from 9.30am
to 4pm on Friday.
Nipon Poapongsakorn, a former president of
the Thailand
Research and Development Institute, will give the
overall
picture of the programme.
Noppadon Thipayawan, a journalist, was next
to take the stand,
with his collection of news reports on the programme.
Prajuck Boonyoung, deputy auditor-general, will follow, with
a focus on the
letters sent to Ms Yingluck by the auditor-general
to warn her about the extent
of the damages and the auditor-
general's opinions on the programme.
Jirachai Moontongroy, a deputy permanent
secretary to the
Prime Minister's Office, will then testify on the damages
caused by the programme.
The
court agreed to hear a total of 14 witnesses. presented
by public prosecutors,
starting on Friday.The next hearings
for the prosecution witnesses are slated
for Feb 17 and 26 and
March 4 and 23.
Other prosecution witnesses to take the stand
later include
Varong Dejkitvikrom, a former Phitsanulok Democrat MP
who closely
monitored the programme, and high-ranking
officials at the commerce and finance
ministries.
Ms
Yingluck's legal team called 43witnesses in her defence
including herself,
scheduled to be heard on Feb 17 and 26 and
March 4 and 23. The former PM was
accused of malfeasance
under Section 157 of the Criminal Code and Section 123/1
of the 1999 Anti-Corruption Act.
Prosecutors filed the charges against her on
Feb 19 last year
as recommended by the NACC.
They
accused her of failing to stop the rice-pledging programme,
which caused 500
billion baht in damages to the country.
Shortly after the NACC found her case had
ground, she was
also retroactively removed as prime minister by the
junta-appointed lawmakers.
The result was she was she was banned from politics
for
five years.
News,Politics,Bangkok Post,15 January 2016.
As the corruption loss from the rice pledge
scheme is huge
amount over 500 billion baht .
I think Ms. Yingluk should accountable for
her responsibility
as
Prime Ministry at that period also.
And I believe the court will rule out the
good justice
for the country and for Thai people who must
pay
a lot of taxes to support the loss from the
rice pledge
scheme corruption.
Sincerely Yours.
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