Civil case on rice scheme unfair: ex-PM's lawyer
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FORMER PRIME minister Yingluck Shinawatra's legal team will appeal if the Finance Ministry files a civil case seeking compensation from her for alleged damages resulting from her government's rice-pledging scheme.
Norawich Lalaeng, a Yingluck lawyer, said yesterday that it would be unfair to the former PM if a civil case was filed as the Criminal Court was yet to hear a separate case in which she has been accused of negligence of duty leading to corruption in the scheme, now scrapped.
“The legal team has discussed this matter and we agree that as soon as the NACC submits its request to the Finance Ministry, we will appeal against the move,” he said.
The lawyer noted that the ministry was involved in implementing the rice scheme under the Yingluck government, and questioned whether it was sensible for the ministry to act as the damaged party now.
On Friday, NACC president Panthep Klanarongran said the agency had sent a written request to the Finance Ministry asking it to consider filing a civil case against Yingluck, her former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and other officials in a bid to receive compensation over the alleged government-to-government deal to sell rice to China.
Norawich said Yingluck’s rights were being restricted by martial law and she was unable to comment publicly about political issues.
However, he said that certain groups seemed to be commenting negatively about the ex-PM regarding the ongoing legal cases against her.
The lawyer urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha not to allow any?one to attempt to influence those cases.
Meanwhile, Pheu Thai politician Somkid Chueakong said it was not proper for Prayut to have disclosed that he had expressed concern to Yingluck about problems stemming from the rice scheme while she was prime minister.
