Court finds Methi defamed Jatuporn
The Criminal Court yesterday gave Methi Amornwutthikul, a former actor and red-shirt member, a two-year suspended sentence after finding him guilty of libel in defaming red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan. His sentence was previously commuted to one year an
Methi had given a media interview, accusing Jatuporn of embezzling Bt68 million in donations and demonstrating inappropriate behaviour with a woman on a beach. The court ruled that Methi had no evidence to back his claim and his testimony that he heard the allegation from others carried no weight.
The court acquitted six others sued by Jatuporn for libel in the same case, including Naewna, the newspaper that published Methi’s statement, Chokchai Sumon, former Democrat MP Watchara Petthong, NST News, ASTV, and Tul Sirikulpipat of Manager paper. Methi said he would file an appeal, saying he was under the four-year witness protection programme of the Department of Special Investigation since he was a key witness in terrorism cases against the red shirts.
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