Thai PM appears in court

Thailand's Constitutional Court announced on Tuesday that it had heard enough testimony and was ready to rule on the corruption case surrounding Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The sentence is to be handed down on Wednesday.

Taking the stand on Tuesday, the caretaker prime minister denied the charges brought forth by a group of senators. They accuse her of illegally replacing then-national security chief Thawil Pliensri with her relative, Police General Priewpan Damapong following her 2011 election. The move allegedly benefited her party and violated the constitution.

"I would like to deny all allegations I am accused of," Yingluck said. "I didn't violate any laws, I didn't receive any benefit from the appointment."

If the court finds her guilty, she would not only be removed from office, but would also be banned from politics. Furthermore, members of her cabinet at the time of the incident could be prosecuted as well.

"As the prime minister, I am entitled to carry out responsilities I have toward the people...and for the utmost benefit of the general public," she added.

Yingluck has faced mass anti-government protests over the past six months over other corruption allegations, including failing to stop a rice subsidy scheme that incurred billions in losses. Critics also accuse her of acting as a proxy for her exiled brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The political upheaval has left at least 25 people dead and hundreds more injured.

Thailand currently has only a caretaker government. Following snap elections in February, the Constitutional Court nullified the results because protesters had disrupted the polls.

The prospect of the court removing Yingluck has raised fears that her supporters will respond by taking to the streets of Bangkok, sparking violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces.

kms/jr (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)