Tarit shrugs off court decision to reject case against Abhisit, Suthep
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The former head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Tarit Pengdith, has shrugged off the Criminal Court's decision to reject the murder charge filed against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban.
“In the end, things will depend on the Supreme Court’s ruling,” Tarit said yesterday. He spoke up after the Criminal Court on Thursday rejected the charges on grounds that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
Initiated by the DSI, the complaint accused Abhisit and Suthep of murder for their roles in the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES)’s operations against red-shirt demonstrators in 2010. Both Abhisit and Suthep were holders of top political posts at the time of the alleged wrongdoing. Dozens of red shirts were killed during the 2010 political unrest.
According to the Criminal Court, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) should be the agency handling such a case.
Tarit said the Criminal Court did not suggest that the DSI had done anything wrong – it just recommended that the NACC handle the case.
Abhisit has accused Tarit of having an ulterior motive for pushing for the murder charges against him and Suthep.
“I have long explained that Suthep and I had simply carried out our duty in giving orders to the CRES to control the situation,” Abhisit said.
