The Court Issues an Arrest Warrant for "Ittipol Khunpluem" Following NACC Pointing Out the New Version of Misconduct Has No Statute of Limitations
จากไชต์: Office of The National Anti - Corruption Commission (ONACC)
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The Court Issues an Arrest Warrant for "Ittipol Khunpluem" Following NACC Pointing Out the New Version of Misconduct Has No Statute of Limitations
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 2 has issued an arrest warrant for " Ittipol Khunpluem ," after the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand (NACC) indicated a new version of malfeasance and misconduct that has no statute of limitations. The individual is currently on the run.
Following the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) announcement of the results of its committee meeting, the NACC decided that Ittipol Khunpluem, the Minister of Culture and former Mayor of Pattaya, had committed a criminal offense. The case involves the issuance of the Or 1 Document No. 700/2551, dated September 10th, 2008, to Bali Hai Public Company Limited for the construction of the Waterfront Project in Phra Tam Nak, Pattaya, Chonburi Province. The act was found to be illegal under the Criminal Code, Section 157, and grounds for removal from office were established. The NACC office has forwarded the investigative report and evidence to the Office of the Attorney General and the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 2 for legal proceedings.
Subsequently, on August 3rd, 2023, the office notified that the Attorney General had reviewed the investigative report of the case and ordered criminal proceedings against Ittipol Khunpluem and others, including Pichet Uthaiwattananon, Wittaya Sirinworachai, Nuttipong Intrarat, Akkachai Boonchai, Wutthisak Rirmkijjakarn, Apichart Puedpan, Suthee Tubnonghee, Chanon Kerdyuu, and Chatwat Chengsawang. Instructions have been given to coordinate the surrender of Ittipol Khunpluem and other accused individuals to report and be charged at the Special Prosecutor's Office for Corruption Cases Region 2 on September 4th, 2566, so that the prosecutor can proceed with filing charges in the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 2.
The NACC Region 2 Office has sent a letter to Ittipol Khunpluem, requesting him to report to the prosecutor. The letter was sent via registered mail through Thai Postal Company Limited to the address appearing in the central registration database of the Ministry of Interior, specifically to house number 194/22-35, Moo 9, Nong Prue Sub-district, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi 20150. However, Thai Postal Company Limited informed that the delivery was unsuccessful. Therefore, the letter was sent to another address obtained through investigation, namely the Office of the Minister, Ministry of Culture, at 10 Thiam Ruam Mit Road, Huai Khwang Subdistrict, Huai Khwang District, Bangkok 10310. The delivery was successful this time.
Meanwhile, officers from the NACC Region 2 Office also sent a copy of the letter to the aforementioned address, but could not find Ittipol Khunpluem. They found only Watthaya Pollook-in, who has a political working relationship with Ittipol's political group, and he signed to receive the copy of the letter as evidence. However, Ittipol did not appear to meet the prosecutor to hear the charges against him. Therefore, the Corruption Suppression Office Region 2 believes that Ittipol has the intention to evade and has issued an arrest warrant. Due to the statute of limitations for this case approaching its 12-year limit on September 10th, 2023, prompt action is necessary.
Recently, Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, the NACC Secretary-General, revealed updates on this case. On September 6th, Kumnueng Wongtaweesap, the Director-General of the Office of Corruption Case Prosecution Section 2, urgently wrote to Niwatchai, Secretary-General of the Anti-Corruption Committee. The letter requested a re-issue of the arrest warrant for Ittipol Khunpluem, a former Minister of Culture, and his associates. The warrant was initially issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Section 2. Although the accused were pointed out by the Anti-Corruption Committee and prosecuted, the existing arrest warrant had certain conditions related to the statute of limitations according to the 2018 Anti-Corruption Act, Section 7. This, along with Section 13 of the 2016 Act on Procedures for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, stipulates that '...if the accused or defendant flees during the legal process or court hearing, the time fled shall not be counted towards the statute of limitations...' Based on this, the prosecutor's office asked for a new arrest warrant specifying the date on which the accused fled.
To prevent damage to the administration, the Office of Corruption Case Prosecution Section 2 has requested that the Anti-Corruption Committee apply for a new arrest warrant for Ittipol Khunpluem, Pichet Uthaiwattananon, and Wittaya Sirinworachai, who are the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd accused, from the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Section 2. They request the court to specify the date of fleeing in the arrest warrant before adjusting it to be 'a new warrant section 2 with no statute of limitations' as instructed by the Director-General of the Office of Corruption Case Prosecution Section 2.
Because the accused have committed offenses under the Criminal Code Section 157, which has a maximum penalty of imprisonment for more than three years, it allows for the issuance of an arrest warrant under the Criminal Procedure Code Section 66. Thus, the court has issued an arrest warrant so that administrative officials or police can proceed to arrest the accused according to the warrant and hand them over to the highest-ranking prosecutor for further legal actions.
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