|
BANGKOK: Pojamarn Shinawatra, wife of Thailand’s
ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, defended herself at the Supreme
Court in Bangkok Wednesday morning against corruption charges over a
controversial land deal, denying any illegal conduct in the case.
Pojamarn said nothing was done
inappropriately or unlawfully during the land deal as she appeared
to face corruption charges in Bangkok Wednesday morning.
Security was tightened around the
Bangkok-based Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of
Political Positions, where a dozen of the former premier’s
supporters, including close relatives and some former key executive
members of his disbanded Thai Rak Thai party, turned up to give
moral support to Pojamarn.
Her three children Panthongtae,
Pinthongta and Paethongtan Shinawatra, were with her at the court.
Pojamarn’s lawyer Pichit Chuenban
told reporters that he and his legal team has prepared evidence,
both document and witnesses, to fight the case. However, he refused
to reveal the details, according to the Bangkok Post website.
Thaksin and Pojamarn face charges
over the purchase of the 5.28-hectare, 772-million-baht (about $23
million in current exchange rate) land plot on the downtown
Ratchadaphisek road from the government agency Financial
Institutions Development Fund in 2003.
Pojamarn won the bid, but the
Assets Examination Committee (AEC) accused her and her husband of
using the influence of Thaksin as then prime minister to get the
deal at a price prosecutors said much lower than the market price.
The Supreme Court issued arrest
warrants for Thaksin and Pojamarn in August last year after the
couple failed to appear for the first hearing for the same case.
Pojamarn returned to Thailand
from Hong Kong on January 8 to fight the charges, and was released
on bail after reporting to the Supreme Court.
Thaksin, who remained living
overseas since ousted in a military coup in September 2006, has said
he will return to defend himself at court by mid-April.
The couple could face years of
imprisonment if found guilty.
--Xinhua
|
