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Bangkok: The wife of ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pleaded innocent to corruption charges yesterday, saying the anti-graft agency that established the case against her and her husband was illegitimate.
Pojaman Shinawatra presented a written statement with her plea to the Supreme Court, which has charged her and her husband with abuse of power and conflict of interest over her purchase of prime Bangkok real estate from a state agency.
Thaksin, who returned from exile at the end of February after his political allies won the December 2007 elections, had entered an innocent plea at an earlier court hearing.
"The accused argued that she is not a state official," Judge Thonglor Chomngam said, citing Pojaman's statement. She "also argued that the Assets Examination Commission does not have legal authority and power".
Pojaman's request to be exempted from attending court for the rest of the trial was also approved, Thonglor said.
Thaksin had earlier received similar permission.
Another preliminary hearing is to be held Wednesday at which Pojaman's legal team is to present documents in her defence. The court will then set a date for the formal trial to begin.
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