Top Court postpones verdict on ‘Bhichit’ in BMA corruption case.

By The Nation

 

Bhichit Rattakul

 

The reading of the Supreme Court’s verdict on Bhichit Rattakul, the former Bangkok governor, and seven other former officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on corruption related to the city body, has been postponed to September 26 as the eighth defendant, Chuan Pattanawaranon, did not appeal to the Supreme Court due to issues related to senility and a stroke.

 

Bhichit was charged, along with seven other officials then at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, with allegedly collaborating to purchase a plot of land without public access for Bt270 million during December 4, 1995 to September 16, 1996. Public prosecutors charged that the land price was inflated by Bt36 million and the eight defendants received Bt18 million in sales commissions.

 

The Court of Appeal sentenced Bhichit, who had been acquitted by the court of first instance, to five years in jail. The Court of Appeals also shortened the jail terms for both Somkard Seubtrakul, who was Bhichit’s secretary, and Chuan Pattanawaranon, the former director of Bang Sue district. The court noted the defendants’ argument that the initial penalties were harsh given that their offences had not caused direct damage to the BMA because the kick-backs had been paid by a broker.

 

Somkad’s jail term was reduced to five years while Chuan faces seven years.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374802

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-15

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1 hour ago, webfact said:

postponed to September 26 as the eighth defendant, Chuan Pattanawaranon, did not appeal to the Supreme Court due to issues related to senility and a stroke.

I am sure he will have recovered from his "senility and a stroke" by the 26th September.

Thailand is a medical "hub" after all.

Everyone needs a flee date in high profile cases get the slightly reddish notices ready ????