Theft case against 82-year-old woman set to dropped
Justice Ministry deputy permanent secretary Thawatchai Thaikhiew said on Tuesday that he has instructed public prosecutors to consider rejecting a theft case against an 82-year-old woman that was filed by her own son and his wife.
Thawatchai said he has instructed the public prosecutors in Uttaradit province to consider applying Article 21 of the public prosecution law to the case.
He said the article allowed the attorney general to order a case that has no public interest value to be terminated.
Two months ago, the daughter-in-law filed a complaint with Muang Uttaradit Police Station against Chamras (surname withheld), alleging she stole two wooden cabinets of her.
Chamras had allowed the daughter-in-law to use a building as a beauty parlour but Chamras later closed the parlour to rent the building to another business.
Police said Chamras feared that the wooden cabinets, which were kept at the parlour, would be damaged or stolen so she took them to be kept at her home.
Thawatchai said if the case reaches court, Uttaradit public prosecutors must consider whether Chamras is capable of finding a defence lawyer. If not, the Justice Ministry will find her a defence lawyer, he said.
But he said the case is a trivial one and it should not be put into the judicial system to waste taxpayer money.
