Former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban and five co-defendants have been found not guilty of corruption, in the construction of 396 police stations and apartments around the country, by the appeals panel of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.

The ruling today (Tuesday) upheld that of the Supreme Court given on September 10 last year.

The case dates back to 2009-2013, during the Democrat-led administration led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.  Suthep was accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), along with three other senior police officers, PCC Development and Construction Company and one of its executives, of malfeasance in office for changing the contracts for the construction of police stations and apartments, from separate contracts into a single one, without checking the bid prices, which were unrealistically low.

The NACC filed the case with the Supreme Court after the Office of the Attorney-General decided to drop it.

One of the co-defendants was Pol Gen Pateep Tanprasert, a former national police chief.