Bangkok: Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong, leader of the Prachachart Party, has clarified recent allegations regarding the handling of a collusion case involving senators, emphasizing that the decision to treat it as a special case was made by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), not the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) or the Minister of Justice.
According to Thai News Agency, the dissemination of false reports suggested that DSI officials, alongside the then Minister of Justice, had unjustly accepted the Senate collusion case as a special case. These reports claimed that witnesses were coerced into providing testimony in exchange for immunity from prosecution. In a statement, Tawee emphasized that the decision to classify any case as special rests solely with the Special Cases Committee (SCC), a body comprising experts and high-ranking officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister and various permanent secretaries.
The committee's resolution indicated the involvement of money laundering activities, with amounts exceeding 300 million baht, which necessitated its classification as a special case. Tawee refuted claims of unfair treatment and described the rumors as an insult to the integrity of the SCC members. He clarified that the DSI, under his watch, adhered to legal protocols and that any decision regarding witness immunity was within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission (EC).
Tawee also addressed the distortion of facts regarding the alleged coercion of witnesses by DSI officials. He reiterated that the granting of witness immunity falls under the authority of the EC, as stipulated by the Organic Act on the Acquisition of Members of the Senate and related regulations. The DSI's role, as part of the 26th Investigation and Inquiry Committee, was limited to offering opinions and not deciding on immunity.
Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court had ruled that Tawee, while serving as the Minister of Justice, had not interfered with the operations of the EC or the investigative committee, clearing him of any ethical breaches. This ruling is binding on all governmental and judicial bodies, ensuring that no further accusations can be validly made against him concerning this matter.
The EC, as an independent body, is tasked with performing its duties with fairness and without bias. While it can petition the Supreme Court based on credible evidence, it does not preemptively judge the accused. The final determination of guilt remains within the court's purview, following a thorough examination of all presented evidence and arguments.