Woman appeals land fraud conviction

 

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

The Phnom Penh Appeal Court yesterday heard the appeal of a 61-year-old woman convicted of fraud involving a $500,000 land deal in Kampot province between 2018 and 2019.

Chin Kea, a farmer, was found guilty and jailed for five years by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on May 30, 2020.

Kea was jointly charged with Mey Sreyphal, 53, a former police colonel officer working with the Ministry of Interior, who was also convicted by the court and remained at large.

The court also ordered both of them to jointly pay $447,000 for damages and another $1,000 in compensation to victim Muth Sokkhim, 45.

Presiding Judge Duch Soksarin said in 2018, Kea introduced Sokkhim to Sreyphal to discuss the sale of 297 hectares of lands in Trapaing Phlaing commune’s Prey Peay village for $297,000.

In 2019, Sokkhim bought another 313 hectares of land located in the same commune for $150,000 from Sreyphal.

“On September 8, 2019, Sreyphal and Kea handed 13 articles to Sokkhim, including land titles and documents signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng.

“But when Sokkhim took the land titles and documents for verification, it was discovered that they were fakes. The land belonged to the state,” he said.

He said Sreyphal and Kea were charged with “Fraud, Forgery of Public Document, and Use of Forged Document” under Articles 377, 378, 629, and 630 of the Criminal Code.

During her appeal yesterday, Kea said the land belonged to Sreyphal who wanted to sell it.

“I introduced Sokkhim to Sreyphal. The land purchase was between Sreyphal and Sokkhim and I was only hoping for a commission.

Sokkhim, Kea said, made payments directly to Sreyphal.

“I am illiterate. I am innocent. I would like to ask the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to free me,” she said.

A verdict is due September 8.

 

 

 

 

 

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