The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions Wednesday granted bail to key Pheu Thai member Watana Muangsook who was indicted for his role in alleged irregularities in a low-cost housing project.
Mr Watana, a staunch critic of the regime, was accused of abusing power and demanding kickbacks related to the 2.5-billion-baht Eua Arthorn housing project when he served as social development and human security minister.
above Officials carry documents tied to the case to court. photos by Chanat Katanyu
Accompanied by legal adviser Narinpong Jinaphak, Mr Watana reported to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) before he was arraigned at the Supreme Court.
Speaking at the OAG office, he said he was glad the case was about to reach court because the investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has dragged on over 10 years.
The inquiry was initiated by the now-defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee which was formed after the 2006 coup to handle alleged corruption cases against the ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government.
The case was then dealt with by the NACC which finally forwarded its findings to the OAG in November 2016 after deciding to implicate Mr Watana for alleged violations of Sections 148 and 149 of the Criminal Code.
Mr Watana insisted Wednesday the project was transparent and corruption-free. If it wasn't, he would have been held liable for the damages. He said there was no administrative order requiring him to pay compensation.
Asked if his "dissident" views would cause problems for him during the trial, he said he trusted the court.
"My concern is that I have been fighting in an unnatural system where there was intervention by a dictatorial power. It is the final process, the court. Before the court, there was meddling in the entire process."
The Pheu Thai politician said the investigation against him was politically motivated and that would be his defence in fighting the charges.
He alleged some witnesses were intimidated during the probe to implicate him in wrongdoing and those who did not comply were treated as suspects.
