Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been found guilty of criminal negligence and sentenced in absentia to five years in prison. <br/><br/>The Supreme Court convicted her of mishandling a rice subsidy scheme which allegedly cost Thailand at least eight billion dollars. Ousted in 2014, weeks before a military coup, and later impeached, Ms Yingluck denies all charges and fled before the verdict, reportedly to Dubai. Public opinion is divided. She remains popular with rural and poor voters. <br/><br/>The Supreme Court judges said Ms Yingluck had been aware of the falsified rice deals but did nothing to stop it.