Finance Ministry investigating Yingluck’s assets

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) -- The Finance Ministry has started probing assets of ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she failed to turn up and hear the verdict on Friday on a criminal case against her over her government rice subsidy programme which is tainted with massive corruption, said Somchai Sujjapongse, permanent secretary for Finance. Reiterating that his ministry is investigating her assets in details to pay about 35 billion baht to the government over the rice subsidy programme, Mr Somchai said his ministry has already dispatched 12 bank savings accounts belonging to Ms Yingluck to the Justice Ministry’s Legal Execution Department. The Legal Executive Department is responsible to confiscate her assets, he said, adding that the Finance Ministry is performing the duty in line with legal procedures. Mr Somchai said his ministry would forward additional details about Ms Yingluck’s other assets including plot of lands and vehicles to the Legal Execution Department if it obtains in future because this criminal case expires in 10 years. Ms Yingluck was due to show up at the Supreme Courtfor’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices Friday morning for the ruling in her trial for criminal negligence that could have seen her jailed for 10 years but she did not show up. With the no-show, the court has issued an arrest warrant and announced to postpone the final verdict to September 27. (TNA)