asianews

OAG says rubber saplings case was 'incomplete'

The Office of the Attorney-General yesterday blamed the now-defunct Assets Examination Committee (AEC) for the court acquittal of all 44 defendants in a corruption case linked to the controversial Bt1.44-billion rubber saplings project.

OAG spokesman Thanapit Moonlaphruek said the AEC, appointed after the 2006 coup, went ahead alone to pursue the case in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders after prosecutors suggested more witness testimonies were needed.

"The AEC did not listen to the protest by the OAG that they had an incomplete case. They went ahead alone to bring the case to court," the spokesman explained.

"The AEC did not cooperate with the OAG in finding complete facts. Now that the Supreme Court has acquitted the defendants, damage has been done to the state in hiring lawyers. Certain defendants should not have been sued and now their reputation has been damaged and a lot of money spent hiring their lawyers," he said.

The court on Monday acquitted all 44 defendants in the case that included former Cabinet members, bureaucrats, and executives and employees of private companies.

The spokesman said the OAG would not blame any party for the court acquittal. "But we would like to call for future cases to be based on actual facts and proof, and not personal confidence or social or media pressure."

He noted that the corruption case involving the two and three digit lotteries - the verdict for which the Supreme Court is due to read next Wednesday - was also filed by the AEC without support from public prosecutors.

Meanwhile, fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra said in a Twitter message that Monday's court verdict on the rubber-saplings project "made Thai society better informed" about the allegations against him and his government.

"It means the CNS lied when they accused my government of corruption," his message read.

Chalerm Yoobamrung, chief MP of the opposition pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party, said the court acquittal proved the coup-makers' allegation of corruption against Thaksin was unfounded.

Surapong Tovichakchaikul, another Pheu Thai MP, called on the AEC to apologise to Thaksin and the 44 defendants acquitted in the rubber-saplings case.

Klanarong Chantik, a former member of the defunct AEC, said yesterday that the committee did its job without bias and did not see the acquittal verdict in the case as a failure.

Now a member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Klanarong argued the prosecution was based on cause to suspect wrongdoing. "The AEC's work was based on facts and reasons and its prosecution decision was suspected wrongdoing," he said.

The graft-buster said he had no fear of counter lawsuits because the AEC did everything in accordance with the legal principles. The AEC stood ready, he said, for the upcoming graft verdict on the lotteries case on September 30, he said.

He dismissed Thaksin's remark that the coup leaders fabricated graft charges in order to oust his government. "The AEC worked independently and was not directed to fault anyone," he said.

Auditor-General Jaruvan Maintaka, another former AEC member, said that the panel did "the best job" in bringing the case to court and that its members were confident the legal framewo