Sure that the men running from the train station early on Nov 24 were chasing a thief, a squad of traffic police on night patrol pulled up to the group to help, only to be met by AK-47 gunfire from close range as the men turned to fire on them.
That was how the Cambodian Freedom Fighters’ deadly raid on government buildings began last year, according to accounts provided in Supreme Court on Tuesday by several of the policemen on patrol that night.
Their testimony opened the sixth day of the trial of 32 suspected members of the CFF. All have been charged with terrorism and membership in an illegal armed force for their failed attempt to topple the government, in which at least eight people died and another dozen were injured.
The trial may end as soon as today: closing remarks were delivered by the prosecutor and many of the defense attorneys before Judge Sok Setha Mony adjourned the day’s session at 5 pm, leaving a handful of closing statements from the defense for today.
Two Cambodian-American CFF suspects who live in the US were also tried in absentia Tuesday, as the court read a list of charges against Chhun Yasith and Thong Samien.
David Chaniawa, the lawyer for Richard Kiri-Kim, the only Cambodian-American CFF suspect in custody, said the court should dismiss charges against his client because it has fumbled the case against him, including failing to provide a court order explaining the charges against him when he was arrested.
The court has also violated a section of the Untac criminal code by keeping his client in pre-trial detention for more than six months, Chaniawa said. Kiri Kim was arrested on Nov 25 and detained Nov 30.
“He should be released and the charges dropped,” Chaniawa said.
Several defense lawyers from the Cambodian Defenders Project, who had staged a walkout in the early days of the trial, appeared in court Tuesday to deliver closing arguments in defense of their clients. Many also cited their clients’ long detentions as grounds for release.
The day’s most gripping testimony came from the policemen who stumbled on the CFF members as they ran from the train station, apparently launching the assault.
“I thought they were chasing a thief,” said Top Soeum, one of the wounded officers.
The driver of the police truck, Tho Dara, a 10-year-veteran of the police force, steered toward the crowd to help.
The police were clinging to their lives seconds later after CFF members peppered the truck with AK-47 gunfire from close range and tossed a grenade into the truck bed.
Tho Dara said he was shot 10 times and today cannot stand. His left leg and arm barely function. None of the police officers died from wounds sustained in the attack.
One of the officers showed the court a scar on his head where a bullet grazed his scalp.
Tho Dara, who was carried into the court by two police officers and set on the ground before the judge’s bench, broke into tears almost as soon as he began his short statement. He pleaded with the court to help with his compensation case against the CFF; the father of four children has plans to ask for at least $10,000 in compensation for his injuries, he said during a court recess.
Sok Setha Mony said compensation cases will be handled at a later date.
Tuesday’s session was open to the public and the media, despite warnings from Sok Setha Mony that he would close it to everyone but the lawyers and defendants to save space in the cramped courtroom.
The trial resumes at 7:30 am today.
