FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Yingluck in buoyant mood outside court after giving closing statement 

Yingluck in buoyant mood outside court after giving closing statement 

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra remained on good spirit after delivering her closing statement at the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning, in a case linked to her then-government’s controversial rice-pledging scheme.

Dressed in black, Yingluck walked from the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division on Political Office Holders at about 10.45am, after taking about an hour to read the statement.
She smiled as she approached her supporters, with hundreds on hand to give her moral support, and she shook their hands. The crowd kept shouting, “Yingluck, fight on.”
She briefly spoke to the media and said thank you.
Yingluck was charged with negligence for allegedly failing to prevent corruption and irregularities in the rice-pledging scheme.
But she insisted she is innocent and had only tried to help farmers.
Her lawyer said her closing statement has 20 pages and covers six aspects. 
Hundreds of crowd control police from the Metropolitan Police Bureau were deployed at the Supreme Court. Fences were erected in front of the court. 
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division on Political Office Holders is set to deliver its verdict on August 25. 
Yingluck would have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court if the verdict goes against her, provided the draft bill on criminal procedures against political office-holders is enacted in time to cover her case.

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