The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday added an additional 18 years to the growing jail sentence of disgraced former municipal police chief Heng Pov for conspiring in the attempted murder of a well-known Khmer-language newspaper publisher in 1998.
Judge Chan Madina cited no evidence while she read the verdict originating from a trial in March.
Mr Heng Pov, who is currently serving a 74-year-and-nine-month prison sentence for various other serious crimes, including murder and extortion, refused to answer any questions during the trial related to the attempted murder of Koh Santepheap Daily publisher Thong Uy Pang and his bodyguard Yim Chhoeun in June 1998. Former municipal minor crime deputy police chief Ly Rasy, who is also already serving time for other convictions, and former municipal foreigner police chief Pheng Phai were also sentenced Friday to 18 years each for the same murder attempt. Heng Veng, a former anti-drug department police officer, who was identified as the shooter, also received 18 years in prison though he is still at large.
Judge Chan Madina also ordered the four men to pay $170,000 to Mr Thong Uy Pang and $50,000 to Mr Yim Chhoeun.
On Wednesday, Mr Heng Pov requested that former Phnom Penh chief prosecutor Ouk Savouth also now prosecute his case at his upcoming Appeal Court hearings, his lawyer Kao Soupha said Thursday.
“At the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Ouk Savouth was the one who brought all charges,” Mr Kao Soupha said. “[Heng Pov] wants to know what evidence he used to bring the charges,” he said, adding that Mr Ouk Savouth, who is now a deputy prosecutor at the Appeal Court, brought a total of 10 charges against his client in 2006.
