Bangkok: The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct has dismissed all charges against Mr. Jongden Butsutthiwong and 34 other employees of the Port Authority of Thailand, who were accused of fraud in disbursing overtime pay and other related compensations.
According to Thai News Agency, the case was initiated by the Special Prosecutor’s Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission 1, alleging that the defendants colluded to fraudulently withdraw overtime pay, holiday pay, and overtime pay on holidays by creating false documents. These documents were then used to demand additional compensation from the Port Authority of Thailand at the Central Labor Court for the period between 2002 and 2012.
The defendants faced charges related to preparing false documents, acting dishonestly as officials, and presenting false evidence, as specified under various sections of the Criminal Code and the Organic Act on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption. However, the court ruled to dismiss all charges, citing insufficient evidence to prosecute the defendants.
Lawyer Krisada, representing the accused employees, stated that the court found no corrupt intentions in the actions of the defendants. The court’s decision indicates that the disbursements were normal and not fraudulent. Krisada questioned whether the Port Authority would compensate the defendants, given the dismissal of charges.
The case originated in 2014 when Port Authority of Thailand executives authorized a complaint against Mr. Jongden Butsutthiwong and his associates, alleging corruption that resulted in a loss of 3.3 billion baht to the state. The Special Case Committee accepted it as a special case in 2013, leading to an extensive investigation.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) conducted the investigation, which began in 2017, focusing on alleged fraudulent overtime compensation practices. Ultimately, the DSI recommended charging only 34 employees out of approximately 560 accused individuals, concluding the prosecution with no further charges filed.
The resolution of this case highlights the critical role of transparent and fair investigation and prosecution in maintaining public confidence in the judicial process. The question of compensating the accused employees remains unresolved, underscoring the need for careful consideration of the repercussions faced by those wrongly accused.
