Thai court convicts Thaksin's wife of tax evasion
Friday, 1 August 2008
BANGKOK, July 31 (AFP): The wife of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion Thursday, the first conviction against his family since he was toppled in a 2006 coup.
Pojaman Shinawatra and her brother were given three years in prison, while her secretary received a two-year sentence.
"The actions by the three defendants are serious violations of the law. The court has decided that the three defendants were guilty of tax fraud," Judge Pramote Pipatpramote said.
All three were released on bail of five million baht each (150,000 dollars) pending appeal, court officials said.
The family's spokesman immediately announced an appeal against the verdict.
"We will appeal within 30 days... We will wait for the decision from the highest court. We respect the decision of the highest court," Phongthep Thepkanjana told AFP.
The case is one of a dozen corruption claims against Thaksin, his family and his political allies currently working their way through the legal system.
Pojaman Shinawatra and her brother were given three years in prison, while her secretary received a two-year sentence.
"The actions by the three defendants are serious violations of the law. The court has decided that the three defendants were guilty of tax fraud," Judge Pramote Pipatpramote said.
All three were released on bail of five million baht each (150,000 dollars) pending appeal, court officials said.
The family's spokesman immediately announced an appeal against the verdict.
"We will appeal within 30 days... We will wait for the decision from the highest court. We respect the decision of the highest court," Phongthep Thepkanjana told AFP.
The case is one of a dozen corruption claims against Thaksin, his family and his political allies currently working their way through the legal system.