In a long-standing case spanning over 18 years, the previous mayor of Hat Yai City in Songkhla province has been handed a nine-year jail sentence and a fine of 12.4 million baht by the Supreme Court. The verdict got here yesterday, related to accusations dating back to between February 1 and February four, 2005.
Prai Pattano was accused of misspending funds for the development of a sacred Buddhist monument. Specifically, the court heard that the ex-mayor, in his then-capacity, improperly accredited the withdrawal of virtually 30 million baht from Hat Yai City Municipality’s reserve fund. These monies got to the Sirindhornrajavithyalai Foundation, beneath royal patronage, to create a monument dedicated to the venerated Buddhist monk, Lung Pu Tuad.
Little-known , often identified as the Mongkol Maharaj, represented the town of Hat Yai and was available for Buddhists to lease for worship. Fortune would then be used to restore, renovate and gold-plate the monk’s statue. However, upon investigation, it got here to light that the money drawn from the reserve fund was transferred to a monument development contractor in violation of procedures and rules associated to procurement. The case argued that this was corrupt and gave the contractor an unfair advantage without requiring aggressive pricing, reported Sanook.
Moreover, a letter requesting further withdrawal from the amassed deficit saved with the Sirindhornrajavithyalai Foundation was unearthed. This money was utilised for promoting, consecration ceremonies, and gold leaf utility on the sacred object. Similar to the previous incident, this was accused as an unwarranted expenditure benefitting these concerned in advertising without the need for price competitiveness.
The costs introduced towards the former mayor spanned varied sections of the Penal Code, including sections 90, ninety one, 151, and 157. Prai beforehand denied all allegations introduced against him.
An preliminary trial heard at the Songkhla’s Corruption and Misconduct Case Court sentenced Prai to 2 years in prison and a nice, without a likelihood for appeal. However, this was overturned as a result of insufficient intention to commit the crime and the costs were dropped.
The case was escalated by the Solicitor General who introduced a Dika enchantment. The Supreme Court lastly learn out its verdict at present, breaking down the sentence for the previous mayor into five years of prison for the first cost, and 4 additional years for the remaining allegations, making it a total of 9 years.
Prai was also ordered to repay a fantastic of 26.9 million baht, of which he had already remitted some 12.4 million baht (US$ 360,198), hence a shortfall amounting to 14.5 million baht stays to be settled..