Court sentences ex-meteorological chief to 3 years

Court sentences ex-meteorological chief to 3 years

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases on Wednesday sentenced a former chief of the Meteorological Department to three years and four months in prison for causing the department a hefty loss of more than 300 million baht resulting from a failed computer procurement project.

Suparerk Tansrirattanawong, a former director-general of the department, was found guilty of dereliction of duty for lowering a fine of 312.5 million baht -- that the department had, on Sept 5, 2003, demanded from Technology Operation Group Co in a lawsuit filed with the Civil Court of Southern Bangkok -- to only 4.3 million baht.

The initial demanded sum of 312.5 million baht was financial compensation for the company's failure to supply the same specifications of the department's so-called super computer, said the ruling.

And while the Civil Court of Southern Bangkok was still hearing the case, Suparerk had assigned his deputy, Chaloemchai Ekkantrong, to reach a settlement with Technology Operation Group, in which the department agreed to fine the company only 4.3 million baht for failing to honour its computer procurement contract, said the ruling.

Although there was no proof that the defendant had received any kickbacks from the settlement, in which the fine was dramatically reduced, such a settlement was deemed unlawful and it was conducted with apparent intent to help the company, said the ruling.

The defendant was therefore found guilty of dereliction of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, said the ruling.

The initial prison sentence handed down to Suparerk was five years; but since he had cooperated in the investigation, the court commuted the sentence by a third, to exactly three years and four months, said the ruling.

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