Slow progress in CTX hearing
The graft hearing on indictments relating to the CTX bomb-detector equipment scandal has made a little headway, albeit slowly, after two senior officials gave evasive statements on Friday in a bid to distance themselves from the case.
The hearing will reconvene on Wednesday for more questioning of the two officials, who played a vital role in recommending the purchase and installation of the equipment at Suvarnabhumi Airport."It is frustrating that former airport director Somchai Sawasdipol blamed his subordinates for all the wrongdoing on his watch," Auditor-General Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka said yesterday in reference to Friday's hearing. Appointed by the Assets Examination Committee, Jaruvan is a panel member drawing up corruption charges in the CTX case before moving on to the prosecution stage. Another official giving a statement was Theerawat Chatrapimuk, a close aide to former transport minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit. Contrary to written evidence, Theerawat told the panel he had had no involvement in the decision to buy the equipment. Juruvan and panel chairman Amnuay Tantara viewed his statement as uncooperative and wanted him to testify again on pertinent issues they said he was trying to evade.
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