Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has come out swinging against the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), accusing the graftbusters of unfair treatment in their probe of her involvement in the rice-pledging scheme.
The NACC is expected to wrap up its investigation into the rice programme within 10 days after the March 31 deadline given to Ms Yingluck to testify over a dereliction of duty charge, a source said.
The prime minister wrote about the case on her Facebook page on Friday. She said the NACC is required to comply with its legal duty to act objectively when considering such a case.
However, she said she believed the NACC, which has brought the charge against her, can no longer act impartially.
Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
Ms Yingluck questioned if the NACC uses the same legal standards and works at the same speed in handling cases against all political-office holders, or if it discriminates against certain groups.
The premier complained that she was initially given only 49 pages of case documents to examine. She was given an additional 280 pages on Thursday, she said. This means she will only have three days to examine the additional 280 pages before she can defend herself on Monday.
She said the constitution stipulates that proceedings in investigations of this kind must be based on the rule of law and there must be no unnecessary delays. This must apply to every group, including those holding political positions.
Unlike with her case, she noted, no progress has been made in any of the cases made against the previous government, such as that involving the crackdown on the red-shirt protest in 2010 which resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as corruption cases that were filed against the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration.
Ms Yingluck said she did not receive justice when she asked to examine evidence and witnesses. She also said the NACC spent only 21 days preparing the case and bringing its charge against her.
The prime minister said she needs to exercise her rights as guaranteed by the constitution to examine any evidence and witnesses the NACC uses against her, which would then serve to add credibility to the NACC's investigation.
"I have no alternative but to conclude that as far as the examination of evidence and witnesses in this case is concerned, I have not been treated fairly or received any justice," she said.
The NACC on Thursday rejected a request by Ms Yingluck's lawyer for another 45 days for her to explain herself.
The source said the NACC has given the caretaker prime minister enough time, but she has still failed to testify to the NACC.
"The NACC can wrap up the case any time after Monday. The case should be concluded within 10 days," the source said.
"If the prime minister fails to appear in person to testify [on Monday], the NACC can conclude on the case immediately. And if the prime minister comes to testify any day before the case is concluded, the NACC has agreed to hear her any time."
However, Ms Yingluck can submit her testimony in a written document by Monday.
Ms Yingluck went on to say yesterday that there are many witnesses and documents that need to be collected from numerous different agencies, and these documents and witnesses are vital for her defence.
However, she said those agencies could not produce and release the documents in time. Therefore, she had to request the postponement of her defence for another 45 days in addition to the 15 days that have been allowed.
"But my request for the postponement was rejected by the NACC and not even a one-day extension was given," she wrote on Facebook. "On the other hand, the NACC said it had over a year to examine the documents to press ahead with the charges against me."
Bancha Parameesanaporn, Ms Yingluck's lawyer, yesterday admitted that the legal team representing the premier is at a disadvantage as the lawyers have not yet obtained 19 important documents they have requested from the NACC.
He said that since the NACC has rejected the request for the extension of the Monday deadline for Ms Yingluck to testify, the lawyers will have to present the written defence to the anti-graft agency on Monday.
The main thrust of the written defence is to explain that Ms Yingluck was not involved in any wrongdoing in the scheme, Mr Bancha said.