Woman jailed for accusing ex-minister

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sentenced a woman to three years imprisonment and ordered her to pay one million baht compensation after finding her guilty of perjury and defamation in accusing former deputy interior minister Sombat Uthaisang of raping her.

Mr Sombat filed a lawsuit against Pakaporn Santhanulai, a former employee of Trat's public works and town planning office, for extortion, giving a false statement to authorities and defaming him. He also demanded Ms Pakaporn pay him 50 million baht compensation.

Pakaporn Santhalunai, centre, is taken from the Criminal Court June 1, 2005 after the court found her guilty of falsely accusing former deputy interior minister Sombat Uthaisang of raping her. More than 10 years later, the Supreme Court upheld her three-year sentence. (Bangkok Post photo)

Mr Sombat stated in the lawsuit that between Nov 10, 2002 and Jan 14, 2003 Ms Pakaporn demanded he pay her one million baht or she would tell his wife and the media that he had sexual relations with her at a hotel in Saphan Khwai area in Bangkok.

Ms Pakaporn denied the charges and insisted she had been raped.

The Criminal Court found her guilty as charged, sentenced her to seven years imprisonment and ordered her to pay 10 million baht compensation to Mr Sombat.

The Appeals Court found her guilty only of perjury and sentenced her to two years in jail while dismissing the defamation charges.

The Supreme Court altered the two lower courts' judgements. It sentenced her to three years imprisonment without suspension - two years for perjury and another year for defaming Mr Sombat.

The court also ordered her to pay one million baht compensation to Mr Sombat at 7.5% per year interest and to publish a summary of the court verdict in four newspapers for 10 consecutive days.

Rassami Wainet, Ms Pakaporn's lawyer, said she would look into the case in detail to see if it would be possible to seek a royal pardon.