The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 3 has ordered the confiscation of assets worth 5.1 million baht from a Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) official in an unusual-wealth case, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said on Wednesday.
The court's ruling, handed down on March 28 but only revealed on Wednesday, ordered the confiscation of money deposited into two accounts belonging to Sarot Sutthiwong, said Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, NACC secretary-general and spokesman.
Prior to the court's ruling, the NACC had carried out an investigation into allegations of unusual wealth lodged against Mr Sarot, said Mr Niwatchai.
After finding credible grounds to believe the allegations were true and Mr Sarot had engaged in malfeasance, the NACC forwarded the case to the Office of the Attorney-General, which passed it on to the court, along with a request to confiscate his assets, said Mr Niwatchai.
During the NACC's investigation, Mr Sarot failed to explain where his wealth came from, said Mr Niwatchai.
Mr Sarot's wealth was discovered around the time he also served as the head of warehouses owned by TSTE Plc, from Feb 26, 2003 to March 12, 2004, said Mr Niwatchai.
The NACC's probe into Mr Sarot's alleged misconduct also revealed evidence suggesting he had committed dereliction of duty in connection with his role in inspecting rice stocks as part of the government's controversial rice-pledging scheme, said Mr Niwatchai.
If the remaining funds in Mr Sarot's accounts are insufficient to meet the court's confiscation order, legal authorities have 10 years from the ruling date to track down and seize other assets to enforce the court's decision.