BANGKOK, Aug 24 – Thailand’s Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned the Criminal Court’s 2008 verdict against Pojaman na Pombejra, former wife of fugitive ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, acquitting her and dismissing the Criminal Court’s 3-year prison sentence in regard to her tax evasion case.
According to the Criminal Court’s verdict on July 31, 2008, Ms Pojaman was found guilty of evading tax payments of Bt546 million for the transfer of 4.5 million shares of Shinawatra Computer and Communications worth Bt738 million. She was sentenced to three years imprisonment.
Also found guilty were her stepbrother Bhanapot Damapong, who received the shares, and her personal secretary Kanjanapa Honghern.
Mr Bannapot was sentenced to a three year jail while Kanjanapa received a two year jail sentence.
They were found guilty of the charges relating to the conspiracy to evade taxes and for giving falsified statements to the authorities.
The Appeals Court, in its verdict delivered on Wednesday, gave Pojaman and Kanjanapa the benefit of the doubt, acquitted them of the tax invasion charges.
Meanwhile, the court said Mr Bannapot is still guilty of the tax evasion and sentenced him two-year jail term and ordered him to pay a fine of Bt100,000.
According to the court, Mr Bannapot has no record of imprisonment and had made contribution to the public particularly donated financial support to the Thaicom Foundation continuously therefore the court commuted his three year jail term to one year suspended jail term.
Thaicom Foundation is a non-profit organisation, founded by Mr Thaksin, aiming to support and give equal opportunity to underprivileged children in education.
Ms Pojaman arrived at the court to hear the verdict at 9am along with the two other defendants — Mr Bannapot and Ms Kanjanapa. She was also accompanied by her children Panthongtae, Pinthongta and Paethongtan.
Ms Pojaman divorced Mr Thaksin in Hong Kong in 2008, ending their 32-year marriage.
