Ex-Chief Bodyguard of Oknha Thong Sarath Appeal Murder Conviction


 

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 

The Supreme Court on January 26, 2022 heard the appeal of a former chief bodyguard of a tycoon who was sentenced to life in jail in 2019 for allegedly killing another tycoon Oknha Ung Meng Chue in 2014. 

Presiding Judge You Ottara identified the convict as Seng Veansna, 48, a former soldier and former Chief of Bodyguards of Oknha Thong Sarath.  

Judge Ottara noted that Phnom Penh Municipal Court on March 26, 2019 sentenced Sarath, 41, a businessman and former military officer; and his four bodyguards identified as Veasna, Meas Sambath, 28, a former soldier with the 911 paratrooper Brigade; and Kouy Chanthol, 30, a former solder with the E70 Brigade; and also Chhun Pheaktra, 48, Sarath’s driver to a life sentence in prison each.

The court also ordered five of them to jointly pay $10 million in compensation to Taing Kimchheng, 48, Ung Meng Cheu’s wife.

Judge Ottara said Sarath was charged with “initiating in premeditated murder” while Veasna was charged with “premeditated murder.” Chanthol, Sambath and Pheaktra were charged with “conspiracy (accomplice) to premeditated murder” under Articles 28, 29 and 200 of the Criminal Code.  

He noted that all five appealed against their convictions to Phnom Penh Appeal Court which on November 6, 2020 dropped the charges against Sarath, Chanthol, Sambath and Pheaktra and ordered them to be released from prison to be put under court supervision. 

However, the court upheld Veasna’s life sentence. 

During yesterday’s hearing, Veansa told the court that the lower court judgments against him are very unjust because was innocent. 

He asked the Supreme Court’s Judge Councils to overturn the ruling of the lower courts, drop his charge and release him from prison. 

“I did not kill the victim,” Veasna told the court. “I did not know the victim and I have never had any argument with him before. Is there any reason and benefit for me to kill the victim?” 

He added that police had beaten him and tortured him to obtain confessions during his arrest.  

He recanted all his answers given to police during his interrogations.

Veasna’s wife Chea Keophally testified yesterday that on the day of  victim’s murder (on November 22,  2014), Veasna was not in Phnom Penh but had gone to  Kampong Chhnang province. 

Keophally said that she, Veasna, their children and her mother left Phnom Penh at about 9am on November 22 and travelled to Kampong Chhnang province. 

She added that that they returned to Phnom Penh at about 8.30pm that night.

“I do not believe that my husband killed the victim because on the day of victim’s murder he stayed with me and the children the whole time,” she said. 

According to court’s documentation, Meng Cheu, 53, was gunned shot death outside a fruit shop in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district at 7.10 pm on November 22, 2014.

A verdict is due on February 17.






 

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