Stolen cash from Suphoth's home linked to winning bidders
Play
Money bands for stolen cash bundles from the home of Transport permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom have been found to link to certain winning bidders for contracts awarded by the ministry, National Anti Corruption Commission member Klanarong Chantik said o
“The tracing of money bands with nine bank logos found that the cash was linked to certain bidders,” he said, refusing to specify whether bidders were involved in the mass rapid transit contruction or other projects.
Kanarong said checks on the bundles of Bt8 million cash revealed the funds were withdrawn from nine commercial banks as evidenced by the 89 money bands that hold the bundles together. Furthermore, the cash from five of nine banks could be traced to accounts of the bidders, he added.
Aside from tracing the stolen cash, the NACC has also been checking into Suphoth’s bank accounts held in 42 bank branches in order to determine whether his wealth was ill gotten, he said. Thus far 27 bank branches have already provided details of Suphoth’s financial transactions.
Last month burglars broke into Suphoth’s home before fleeing with the stolen cash, which police suspect to worth about Bt100 million although Suphoth has insisted only Bt5 million went missing.
Police subsequently recovered Bt18 million which the NACC has impounded on suspicion of ill-gotten gains.
Suphoth is being targetted for graft probe and scheduled January 11 to give his statement at the NACC to explain his cash holding.
