AG not phased by impeach threat over Pojaman case
Attorney General Julasing Wasantasing was not upset by the Democrats' threat to impeach him, prosecution spokesman Thanapit Mulpruek said yesterday.
“The Democrats can proceed with the impeachment but the prosecution decision on the tax-evasion case still stands,” he said.
Thanapit was reacting on Julasing’s behalf to reports the main opposition party was preparing to solicit the endorsement of 125 MPs to launch the impeachment motion.
Last week Julasing invoked his mandate on the final prosecution review, dropping the Bt500-million tax case involving Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, her brother Bannapot Damapong and private secretary Kanchanapha Honghern.
The case has received huge publicity because Pojaman is the ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The lower court ruled to convict all three defendants and sentenced each to three years in jail.
The Appeals Court last month acquitted Pojaman and Kanchanapha, though confirming the guilty verdict on Bannapot. The high court cited Bannapot’s good standing in the community as grounds to suspend his jail term. He is still liable to pay a Bt100,000 fine.
Thanapit said the prosecution agreed with the appellate decision that it had no legal or factual arguments to take the case to the Supreme Court for a final review.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was puzzled by the prosecution decision. The prosecutors had decided to try the case. The lower court had ruled in the prosecution’s favour.
The high court came up with its ruling and the prosecution then threw in the towel without any credible justification, Abhisit said.
