The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders has adjourned the ruling in a malfeasance case against former foreign minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul to this afternoon for reinstating a revoked passport for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Surapong, 65, was indicted in February last year by the National Anti-Corruption Commission for allegedly violating Article 157 of the Penal Code regarding malfeasance and also committing wrongdoing under the anti-corruption law.
Surapong denied the charges and the court granted him temporary release on a 3-million-baht bail on a condition that he not leave the country without court permission.
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders was scheduled to hand down the verdict at 9.30am today, but put off to this afternoon
Surapong appeared in the courtroom this morning with walking stick. He was accompanied by his lawyer and Pheu Thai Party politician Ruangkrai Leewattanakrit, who is his representative.
He said he was confident that he was not guilty as he had followed the official regulations and law in the reissuance of the passport to Thaksin.
His lawyer said Surapong would appeal if he was ruled guilty, and has prepared 3 million baht bond as bail.
While serving as foreign minister in the Yingluck Shinawatra government in 2011, Surapong had ordered the issuance of an ordinary passport to fugitive Thaksin, who has been convicted for abuse of power.
The act was deemed a violation to the Foreign Ministry regulations regarding issuance of passports.
The National Legislative Assembly in late March last year voted overwhelmingly to impeach Surapong over the passport scandal.
