NACC sub-panel to hit Supoj with graft charge
Unable to explain how he acquired riches
A sub-committee of the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) has agreed to charge former transport permanent secretary Supoj Saplom with malfeasance in office, a source at the NACC said yesterday.
The malfeasance charge against Mr Supoj follows the NACC’s decision in 2012 in which the anti-graft body found Mr Supoj unable to clarify how he had become what the agency termed “unusually wealthy”.
This lead to suspicions that he might have profited from corrupt practices in his job.
The source said the NACC’s panel has informed Mr Supoj of its decision and the former top transport official has sent a lawyer to acknowledge the charge.
The next step is for Mr Supoj to defend himself against the allegation, the result of a long-running saga which started with a robbery in 2011.
His wealth first came under investigation when a group of burglars broke into his house in Wang Thong Lang district on the night of Nov 12, 2011, while he was at his daughter’s wedding party.
Mr Supoj told police they stole 5 million baht in cash, but police later seized 18 million baht in cash and 10 baht weight of gold from the detained suspects who police said confessed to the robbery.
The burglars also claimed to have seen bags bulging with cash that they could not carry away with them inside the house.
The NACC then asked the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) to freeze 17.5 million baht of the 18 million baht and the gold seized from the suspects after Mr Supoj failed to provide a clear explanation of how he had acquired them.
The anti-graft body widened its probe and later asked the prosecution to secure a court order freezing assets totalling 64.7 million baht owned by Mr Supoj and his family.
The 64.7 million baht comprised 17.5 million baht in cash, 10 baht weight of gold, a Volkswagen Caravelle van worth about 3 million baht, along with bank deposits, land and houses worth about 44.1 million baht.
In January 2014, the Civil Court ordered the seizure of 46.14 million in assets after Mr Supoj and his family were unable to explain the source of some of the assets.
The ruling was upheld by the Appeals Court.
The court also ruled that more assets must be seized — 15 million baht held in the Saplom family’s three bank accounts and a Volkswagen sedan worth 3 million baht.
Mr Supoj resigned as the permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry shortly before the NACC found him to be unusually wealthy. He was transferred to the Prime Minister’s Office after the allegations began to surface.