REAKSMEY KONGKEA

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The Battambang Provincial Court yesterday charged and detained a man accused of strangling his girlfriend to death in a car in Phnom Penh and driving to Battambang city to dump the body before fleeing to Thailand.  The murder took place at about 11pm on September 10, 2021 night in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district but the victim’s corpse was later found by the villagers inside her Toyota Prius car which was abandoned in Battambang city’s O-Char commune on September 14. Lieutenant Colonel Lim Puthyla, the Deputy Chief of Battambang Provincial Police and also in charge of the Provincial Crimes Department, named the accused as Meas Pichrboramey, 28, from the Sen Sok district’s Phnom Penh Thmey commune in the capital.  Lt Col Puthyla identified the victim as Doem Sophea, 34, who was an online lotion and land vendor and lived in Sen Sok district’s living Kraing Thnuong commune.    He noted that both were lovers.  Lt Col Put...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea   The Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on September 22, 2022 upheld the life-conviction of Khieu Samphan for committing genocide, crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 committed between 1975 and 1979 in Cambodia.   Judge Kong Srim, the President of the Supreme Court Chamber, stated that Khieu Samphan, 91, the former Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea, was charged with “c rimes against Humanity, Grave Breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Genocide” the offences which are defined and punishable under Articles 4,5, 6, 29 (New) and 39 (New) of the Law on the Establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers as amended on 27 October 2004.   He stated that Khieu Samphan is alleged to be responsible, through his acts or omissions (committed via a joint criminal enterprise), for having planned, instigated, ordered, or aided and abetted, or being responsi...

    Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on September 15, 2022 started the trial of former opposition leader Sam Rainsy and 38 former CNRP activists for conspiring to overthrow the government with the planned return of CNRP’s vice president Mua Sochua from the United States in 2021. Only three of the activists – Kong Mas, 34, former CNRP activist in Svay Rieng province; Voeung Samnang, 37, former CNRP’s Chaktomuk commune deputy chief; and Khan Bunpheng, 66, former CRNP’s Prek Preah Sdach commune chief. The rest, including Sam Rainsy and his wife Tioulong Saumura; Eng Chhay Eng, Nuth Ramduol, Long Ry, Ou Chanrith, and Mua Sochua are living in exile abroad. Presiding Judge Ouk Reth Kunthear said they are all charged with “plotting” under Article 453 of the Criminal Code and face jail terms of between five and 10 years if convicted. Judge Kunthear said in January 2021, Rainsy announced the second plan for his supporters' return to Cambodia after his plan...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea A former military officer, who shot to death his fiancée in 2020 at his house in Phnom Penh’s Por Senchey district and fled, was arrested on Saturday evening and placed in detention at Police Judiciaire (PJ) prison. The murder took place at about 12.15 am on January 16, 2020 at the accused’s apartment in Ramchek village in the district’s O-Doem commune. Penal Police Department officer Lieutenant Colonel Long Sarith named the accused as Yeun Vandet, 30, a former military major working with Brigade E-70 in the Ministry of National Defence and lived in Ramchek village. The victim was Chun Dina, 26, an online lotion vendor also from the same village, and the two were engaged to be married but Vandet in a jealous rage murdered his finance. Vandet was sentenced in absentia on August 20, 2020 by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to 15 years in prison for murder. “The judge ordered him to serve the 15-year-sentence in absentia in the JP prison in Phnom Penh,” Lt Col Sari...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea  The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the 30-year jail term of a man who was convicted in 2020 for killing a widow who rejected his advances and called him a drug addict. The murder took place at about 5.30am on October 22, 2019 in Takeo province’s Samrong district.  Presiding Judge You Ottara identified the convict as Sem Hakley, 31, who was a barber living in Samrong district’s Sla commune.  He identified the victim as Hoeung Sokhon, 35, who was a grocery vendor living nearby Hakley’s house.  “The Judges’ Council of the Supreme Court has considered that the ruling which had been made by the lower courts was right and in accordance with laws and the convict was only jailed for 30 years and not sentenced to a life term for his serious crime,” Judge Ottara said.  “Therefore, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold the ruling dated December 30, 2021 by the Phnom Penh Appeal Court  as effected and close the convict’s appeal...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea    Capital penal police yesterday arrested a businesswoman, who is the owner of a lotion company, for publicly defaming an online lotion vendor via social media and Facebook. Commissariat of Phnom Penh Municipal Police Officer Major Long Kimheng yesterday identified the suspect as Mao Limhorn, 43, the owner of Darling Skin Care Co Ltd living in Tuol Kork district’s Phsar Depo II commune.   Maj Kimheng named the plaintiff as Phal Sreyna, 33, living in Chamkar Mon district’s Olympic commune.   He said that Limhorn and Sreyna are former friends and business partners. They sold skin-whitening lotions via Facebook.    Maj Kimheng said that in 2019, Sreyna, who was then the distributor of Limhorn’s company products, bought the lotions and stocked them for sale to her customers across the country.   He noted that in October 2021, both had an argument after Limhorn had allegedly accused Sreyna of selling the wholesale pro...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea   A bank security guard was shot in his right leg by his colleague during a quarrel at their work premises yesterday afternoon.   The gunman fled after the shooting at the CIMB bank in Toul Kork district’s Boeng Kak I commune at about 1.30pm.   Boeng Kak I police deputy chief Major Vong Savoeun said Lun Chivoan, 25, a suspended soldier and 47-year-old Khun Vorn, are employees of Safeguard Cambodia and on duty at the CIMB Bank.   Maj Savoeun said Chivoan and Vorn had argument and was about to punch it out when they were stopped by other colleagues.   “Vorn continued to curse and insult Chivoan and Chivoan pulled out a pistol and shot Vorn in the right leg. “After shooting Vorn, Chivoan fled on his motorcycle,” Maj Savoeun said.   Maj Savoeun said police are now searching for Chivoan and that Chivoan is likely to be charged for “attempted murder and unauthorized holding weapon” that provides for a jil term of 10...

  Buth Reaksmey Kongkea   While standing trial at Phnom Penh Court for the 55 th time at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, the former Cambodian National Rescued Party (CNRP) Kem Sokha yesterday cried for justice and claimed he is man of non-violence who stands for national reconciliation.   The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday continued Sokha’s hearing in connection with allegedly conspiring with foreign states and other foreign agents in order to overthrow the Cambodian government between 1993 and 2017.   Sokha alleged that prosecutors and judges’ council of the court are questioning him repeatedly because they enough inculpatory evidence to link him with the activities of Sam Rainsy, Ho Vann and Mua Sochua, the top leaders of the court-dissolved CNRP.   “I am a person who always adheres to non-violence and national reconciliation. While I am not praised or encouraged, the arrogant and abusive people are getting encouragement. I...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea A Japanese investor who allegedly embezzled nearly $1million from his two Cambodian business partners stood trial at Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday. The Cambodians invested their money​ with the condo/ apartment construction projects of the accused's real estate company in exchange for high interest rates between 2018 and 2020.  Judge Pichr Vicheathor said that the accused was identified as Kuno Kakaka, 70, the Cambodian-Japanese citizen, living in Phnom Penh’s Prampei Makara. He said that Kuno was arrested by penal police in the Ministry of Interior on July 16, 2020. The two Cambodian plaintiffs were identified as Un Phanarong and Kim Rany, both are land brokers living in Phnom Penh. He said that Kuno Kakada was charged with three counts on “Breach of Trust and Escape” under Articles 391, 392, 560, and 561 of the Criminal Code, and “Issuing the Dud Cheque” under Article of 231 of the Law on Negotiable Instrument and Payment Transactions...

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea   The Phnom Penh Appeal Court on September 2022 conducted in absentia the hearing of request of release of the accused Seng Chan Theary who was sentenced in June by the municipal court  to 6 years  linking with the former opposition leader Sam Rainsy and Mu Sochua’s activities and plan’s return from their exiled living abroad on November 9, 2019.   The Phnom Penh Appeal Court did not release her from the prison as she had requested.   Presiding Judge Yun Narong said that in this case, the accused Seng Chan Theary was sentenced on June 14 by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to  6 years in prison.   She was charged with two counts of “plotting and incitement to commit a felony or cause social unrest” under articles 453, 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code.   He said that Seng Chan Theary was arrested on June 14 and now has been detained in prison, in Preah Vihear province.   He added that as  the accused Seng Chan Theary w...