The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has vowed to support the Justice Ministry and police in their probe against its officials for their alleged role in a bid to invoke a retrial of a 2013 case in which former teacher Jomsap Saenmuangkhot was convicted for a hit-and-run death in 2005.
The pledge was announced by a team of DSI spokespeople yesterday.
According to the team, the attempts to assist Ms Jomsap in seeking the retrial were made by the Justice Ministry's Legal Aid Centre for Debtors and Victims of Injustice, chaired by the deputy permanent secretary of the ministry. Some DSI officials were also asked to lend a helping at the centre, the team said.
The DSI was earlier asked by the deputy permanent secretary of justice to have the people involved in the retrial bid undergo lie detector tests, which were carried out during Feb 1-3.
The results were sent to the ministry on Feb 14 for its consideration since this case is not being handled by the DSI, the team said.
Regarding the role of the DSI officials involved in the retrial bid, the ministry has set up a panel to look into the matter and people should wait for the results, the team said.
"To clear the air, the DSI is ready to support the work of the Justice Ministry and the police [who are carrying out the probe]," the team added.
Their remarks came after acting deputy national police chief Pol Gen Wirachai Songmetta on Sunday said some DSI officials had a hand in the bid to seek the retrial.
He said 12 out of 14 DSI officials allegedly involved are being questioned and a conclusion will be reached once the interrogation is completed.
"Some people were certainly involved. They were officials providing safety for the witnesses in Ms Jomsap's case and those who received complaints from her," said Pol Gen Wirachai, who is also a police spokesman.
According to Pol Gen Wirachai, nine people have been charged for their alleged role in trying to help Ms Jomsap clear her name using a hired scapegoat.
The DSI, he said, carried out the lie detection procedures on Ms Jomsap; her close friend, Suriya Nualcharoen; and the alleged hired scapegoat, Sap Wapee, and the results were sent to police investigators on Dec 5.
Pol Gen Wirachai said Mr Suriya and Mr Sap had failed the tests and added Mr Suriya later confessed to hiring Mr Sap as a scapegoat for 500,000 baht. Mr Sap also admitted to being hired, he noted.