The Supreme Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Tarit Pengdith, the former head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), for failing to attend a court hearing related to abuse of power and malfeasance charges.
Tarit and three other DSI officers were accused of filing murder charges against former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban during the crackdown on political protests in 2012.
In 2020, the Appeals Court found Tarit and three other DSI officers guilty of abuse of authority and sentenced them to two-year terms. The court found that Tarit’s multiple requests for postponement over the past year could be considered a delaying tactic to allow him time to escape.
The Supreme Court also rejected Tarit’s excuse for not attending the hearing, stating that his doctor’s letter did not mention that his condition was serious enough to prevent him from appearing in court. The court scheduled March 24 for the reading of the verdict and seized Tarit’s surety of 300,000 baht and ordered his guarantor to pay a fine within 15 days.
The three other defendants were present at Thursday’s hearing and their cases will proceed as scheduled. (NNT)
