Indictment decision questioned
Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra's lawyers will today file a petition with the Office of the Attorney-General questioning the decision of the joint panel of public prosecutors and anti-graft officials to indict her over the rice-pledging scheme.
Norawit Lalang said National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) representative Wicha Mahakun answered the National Legislative Assembly’s queries last Friday, revealing that the joint panel had decided to indict Yingluck.
However, the prosecutors led by Wuthipong Wiboonwong told the media on Wednesday that the panel had yet to make a decision as two more witnesses still had to be questioned to find out when and how corruption had been committed.
He said the case had three loopholes that required further investigation as there was no clear evidence of corruption, other than a report from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).
NACC secretary-general Sansern Polajiak, meanwhile, said the panel – comprising 10 NACC representatives and three prosecutors – had met on Monday and made a decision on the issue.
Meanwhile, Norawit said he would ask the Office of the Attorney-General whether the three prosecutors present at the meeting could be regarded as representatives of the Office, and if the panel’s decision was lawful or not as witness examination had yet to be completed. He added that Wuthipong had no knowledge of the panel’s decision.
