THE Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders today (Nov. 29) postponed handing down a verdict in a case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on charges of abusing power in the transfer of a National Security Council official because one of a panel of nine judges had died and a replacement still to be appointed, Naewna newspaper said.
As scheduled, this court was to hand down the verdict at 1.30 p.m. today but it was put off. Yingluck has been charged with violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code in the transfer of Mr. Thawin Pliensri, secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), to be an advisor to the Prime Minister.
Yingluck’s lawyer, Mr. Winyat Chatmontri, said the court has not set a new date to deliver its verdict.
Moreover it has not yet set a timeframe for recruiting a new judge to fill in for Mr. Sittisak Wanachakit, former vice president of the Supreme Court, who has died.
Once a new judge has been appointed to the panel he would also have to be given time to study the case documents and issue a judgement.
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Top and Front Page: Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
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