The Supreme Court on Thursday reinstated a lower court’s decision to sentence a former Pheu Thai MP to a year in prison for defaming a Democrat Party rival.
The sentence against Karun Hosakul, a former Don Muang MP, for defaming party-list MP Somkiat Pongpaibul in 2008 was suspended for two years.
In this case, Mr Somkiat, a co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, complained to the court that Mr Karun attacked him with rude words and accused him of "trying to destroy democracy" during a radio interview on April 3, 2008, a day after the two brawled in the parliament compound.
The Criminal Court found Mr Karun guilty and sentenced him to a year in jail and a fine of 40,000 baht. The jail term was suspended for two years.
The Appeal Court reversed the Criminal Court's verdict and cleared Mr Karun of the defamation charges. Mr Somkiat brought the case to the Supreme Court.
Mr Karun, who was present at the court this morning, said he respected the court's verdict and held no grudges against Mr Somkiat.