Chaikasem cleared of involvement in Pichit bribery case decision

Chaikasem Nitisiri, a former Attorney-General and prime ministerial candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, has been cleared of involvement in a 2008 decision not to indict Pichit Chuenban on a court bribery charge, according to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).

The OAG officials addressed the matter yesterday, August 15, in response to questions about Pichit’s cases. Pichit’s recent Cabinet appointment led to the removal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin earlier this week.

In 2008, Pichit and two other lawyers were accused of attempting to bribe the Supreme Court during a case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin faced allegations of malfeasance for assisting his then-wife, Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, in acquiring prime land on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok at a discounted price in 2003.

The trio, representing Thaksin, were caught offering Supreme Court officials a paper bag containing 2 million baht in cash in an attempt to influence the court’s decision.

The police investigation into the bribery found insufficient evidence to recommend indicting the lawyers, and the OAG subsequently agreed not to pursue bribery charges against them.

However, the Supreme Court found the lawyers guilty of contempt of court related to the bribery attempt. They were deemed to have acted inappropriately on court premises and were each sentenced to six months in jail.

Following 62 year old Srettha’s removal as PM, speculation arose about Chaikasem, one of two remaining prime ministerial candidates on the Pheu Thai list, potentially succeeding him. Ultimately, the party chose Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn, instead, and the House is set to vote on her nomination today.

The renewed media focus on Chaikasem prompted public interest in his role at the OAG during the Pichit case.

Kayasit Pissawongprakan, then the Director-General of the Department of Criminal Litigation, approved the decision not to indict, according to OAG spokesman Prayuth Phetkhun.

Kayasit acted on a no-indictment recommendation submitted by the Chana Songkhram police, who led the bribery investigation. The police found no proof that the three lawyers committed the offence.

The prosecutors reviewing the police report concurred with the no-indictment recommendation and advised Kayasit not to send the case to court. Kayasit agreed with this recommendation.

The Royal Thai Police did not object to the prosecutor’s decision not to proceed with the indictment, reported Bangkok Post.

“It is untrue that Chaikasem, who was attorney-general at the time, ordered the three lawyers not to be indicted.”