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BANGKOK - THAILAND's Supreme Court on Tuesday found deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty of conflict of interest while in office and sentenced him in absentia to two years in prison, a judge read.
Thai prosecutors now want Britain to extradite ex-Thaksin, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday.
'The prosecutors will soon make a copy of the court verdict and pass it on to Britain to quickly extradite him,' Mr Seksan Bangsombun, chief prosecutor for the case, told reporters.
The nine-member court ruled five to four that Thaksin had got involved in his wife's purchase of land from a central bank fund.
Thaksin was, however, cleared of more serious charges of abusing his powers to obtain the cut-price deal.
'Thaksin had violated the article of the constitution on conflict of interest, as he was then prime minister and head of government who was supposed to work for the benefit of the public,' one judge said, reading the verdict.
'He is sentenced to two years in jail.'
His wife Pojaman was cleared of all charges. Thaksin, who is living in self-imposed exile in London, was not present at court.
Thaksin said on Tuesday he had expected a jail term from the Supreme Court in a case involving a land deal when he was in office.
Thaksin, who lives in exile in Britain, said the case was politically motivated.
He has said before that he could not get a fair trial from the courts. 'I have been informed of the result. I had long anticipated that it would turn out this way,' Thaksin said by telephone.
He denied British media reports he was seeking asylum in Britain.
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling makes Thaksin the first politician to be convicted of corruption committed while prime minister but it is not expected to provide closure to the country's deepening political crisis, which revolves around him. -- AFP, REUTERS
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