Chief of bodyguards convicted to life in prison for killing tycoon

 


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 

The Supreme Court on February 17, 2022 upheld the decision of a lower court in sentencing a chief of bodyguards to life in prison three years ago for killing a tycoon Ung Meng Chue in 2014.

Convict Seang Veansna, 48, an ex-military officer and businessman who was working for tycoon Thong Sarath was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on March 26, 2019 to life in prison for committing the murder.

The Court also upheld the ruling dated November 6, 2020 of Phnom Penh Appeal Court to drop charges against Sarath and his bodyguards Meas Sambath, and Kouy Chanthol, and also Chhun Pheaktra,  Sarath’s driver, and released them from the prison.

Presiding Judge You Ottara who identified Veansna said he is charged with “premeditated murder.”

“Although Veansa denied killing Meng Cheu, based on his appeal hearing on January 26 and his previous confessions during his arrest, the court viewed the photos of the killer (convict) filmed by the CCTV footage of him firing shots at the victim on the day of the murder, the Supreme Court’s Judges’ Council finds him guilty as charged,” Judge Ottara said when reading the verdict.

He said the Court also took into consideration the ruling  dated  November 6, 2020 of Phnom Penh Appeal Court and found that it had also made its decision in accordance with the law.

 “Therefore, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold its decision and has closed the convict’s appeal,” he added.

Judge Ottara said the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on March 26, 2019 sentenced Veansna, Sarath, Sambath, Chanthol and Pheaktra to life imprisonment and ordered all of them to pay jointly  $10 million in compensation to Meng Cheu’s wife Taing Kimchheng, 48.

He added 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.  

Judge Ottara said all of them appealed against their life sentence to the 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 and to be placed under court supervision. 

However, the court upheld Veasna’s life sentence. 

Meanwhile, during his appeal hearing at the Supreme Court, Veansa denied knowing the victim, having an argument with him and not having any motive to kill him.

He said that he was beaten and tortured by the police to confess the killing when he was arrested.

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

 

                                                       

 

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