The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has scheduled a seven-month trial period for the alleged mishandling of the 2012 fatal hit-and-run case involving Red Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya.
All eight defendants, including former national police chief Pol Gen Somyot Poompanmoung and former deputy attorney-general Nate Naksuk, appeared on Tuesday to enter their not guilty pleas.
They have been indicted on several charges, including dereliction of duty, with the key issue being the change in the recorded speed of the Ferrari driven by Mr Vorayuth. This led to the dismissal of his arraignment for reckless driving leading to a fatality.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the court said the trial period was set for seven months instead of the usual one year due to the high level of public interest in the case. It also stressed that it would ensure fairness to all parties and urged them to strictly follow the schedule to ensure a swift trial.
The court also instructed the defendants, their lawyers and prosecutors to refrain from conducting media interviews that could influence public opinion and affect the deliberation process until the trial is concluded.
The prosecutors’ evidence submitted to the court included 30,000 pages of documents, 21 individual witnesses and material witnesses. The evidence examination is scheduled to begin on Dec 3.
The eight defendants were arraigned on Aug 29 after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) concluded the hit-and-run case was grossly mishandled.
The court granted bail to the eight defendants but prohibited them from leaving the country unless permitted by the court.
Mr Vorayuth crashed his Ferrari into a motorcycle driven by Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert in the early hours of Sept 3, 2012, in the Thong Lor neighbourhood of Bangkok.
Instead of stopping to help the victim, Mr Vorayuth, then in his early 20s, drove off, dragging the victim’s body for about 200 metres, without informing authorities about what he had done afterwards.
Following a long investigation, three charges were pressed against him, but he has not been brought to justice. After repeatedly failing to appear in court, he fled the country in 2017.
Several charges against him have been dropped, including a speeding charge after its one-year statute of limitations expired in 2013, followed by another charge of failing to help an accident victim, which expired in 2017.
The last remaining charge against Mr Vorayuth, causing death by reckless driving, carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail, and expires in 2027.
- Editorial: Not too late for ‘Boss’ caseRelated: Accused prosecutor admits he helped
