The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Thursday sentenced former finance minister Surapong Suebwonglee to one year in jail, suspended for one year, for malfeasance in violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code.
The case was filed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission on May 27, 2015.
The lawsuit stated that Mr Surapong, 59, while being the finance minister in the People Power Party-led government of the late prime minister Samak Sundaravej, appointed three people -- Sathit Limpongpan, Vijit Supinij and Chaiwat Wibulsawasdi -- to be members of a committee responsible for the selection of the Bank of Thailand (BoT)'s board members in 2008.
The appointment of the three, who were representatives of financial institutions under the supervision of the BoT, violated the Bank of Thailand Act and the action breached Section 157 of the Criminal Code, stated the lawsuit.
The court started to conduct an investigation from March 9 to June 22, 2016 during which 11 plaintiff and defence witnesses were examined.
The court on Thursday found Mr Surapong guilty of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code and sentenced him to one year in jail and a fine of 20,000 baht.
However, since the order appointing the selection committee was later revoked and the selection of BoT board members declared invalid and Mr Surapong had never been handed down a jail sentence before, the jail sentence on Surapong was suspended for one year.