Supreme Court upheld murderer’s 30-year-sentence


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,” he said. 

Judge Ottara emphasised that Hakley was sentenced on December 27, 2020 by the Takeo Provincial Court to 30 years in prison. The provincial court also ordered him to pay about $ 5,000 in compensation to the mother of the victim as plaintiff in the case. 

He said that the convict was charged with “premeditated murder” under Article 200 of the Criminal Code. He was arrested on October 22, 2019 after he killed the victim.   

During his appeal hearing on September 1, Hakley admitted committing the offence, saying that he killed the victim because he was angry with her at that time for rejecting his advances and calling him a drug addict.    

He said that he had fallen in love with the victim for about three years after she had divorced her husband but she had never been interested him. 

He added that on the day of victim’s murder, he met her by chance at a quiet road in village.

Hakley said he smiled and tried to talk to her but instead, she called him a drug addict and also cursed at him. 

“At that time, I was angry with her for cursing me and insulting me as a drug addict. I then took a cleaver and slashed her several times on the face and the head,” he said.

  



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