Ex-PetroSaudi exec gets 3 years

Court officials said a Bangkok Criminal Court judge ruled that the 49-year-old could begin his term from June 22, the date of his arrest. And he must serve his full sentence in Thailand. The court halved his six-year sentence, thanks to Justo’s guilty plea. 

The former IT executive at PetroSaudi was charged under Section 338 of the Thai Penal Code, which carries a jail sentence of between one and 10 years, and a fine of between Bt2,000 and Bt20,000.

Court officials said Justo had 30 days to appeal the sentence. 

When contacted, Justo’s lawyer Pranot Kalanuson said he would consult with his client on the next step.

Justo is alleged to have stolen confidential information on a joint venture between PetroSaudi and 1MDB, and is said to have agreed to sell it to a group of Malaysian individuals.

While under police remand in Thailand, he signed a full confession detailing how he had met a group of Malaysian media owners and politicians who allegedly sought to use the stolen information to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Justo, however, denied allegations that the stolen documents had been tampered with.