The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NAAC) has turned down caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's request to extend the March 31 deadline for defending herself against charges of negligence of duty in the rice-pledging scheme by 45 days.
“If the accused came to acknowledge the charges by herself and asked officers to clarify the accusations against her, she would understand the charges well,” NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak explained.
“By not coming to hear the charges and not examining the evidence by herself, and assigning lawyers to do it instead, she cannot completely understand the facts and the provisions related to the clarification.
“The panel, therefore, passed a resolution that the accused must defend the charges in oral or written statements on the scheduled date.”
Her lawyer had told the agency that it was taking time to collect documents from various agencies to help in the prime minister's defence, but the NACC said she could give the facts and submit additional documents during the investigation stage.
On Tuesday, the NAAC also rejected her request to remove Vicha Mahakhun as an investigative committee member.
The NAAC said her claim that Mr Vicha had given interviews which were biased against her was unfounded.