Supreme Court Upholds Tycoon Sok Bun’s convictio and five former government officials over 525 hectare of land-grab in Preah Sihanouk province

 


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the convictions of tycoon Sok Bun and five former government officials who were jailed for between five and seven years over land grabs involving more than 500 hectares in Preah Sihanouk province. 

The offences were committed between 2016 and 2019 in Koh Rong city’s Koh Rong commune. 

Presiding Judge Kong Srim identified the tycoon as Sok Bun, the former President of the Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agent Association and the other five as Ung Nith, the former Koh Rong city council chief; Seng Hour Leang, the former Koh Rong commune chief; Hem Sales, the former Koh Rong commune council member; Ke Sorm, the former second deputy chief of Koh Rong commune; and Keo Pov, the former chief of Prek Svay village. 

Judge Srim said that “the Supreme Court has decided to uphold the convicts' sentences because the Supreme Court has considered that the ruling made by the lower court was made in accordance with the laws and was right.” 

“On the other hand, the convicts’ sentences had already been reduced and were little compared to their serious crime committed,” he added.

Judge Srim said that Bun, Hour Leang, Sales and Pov were sentenced on July 29, 2020 by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to seven years in prison and fined $2,500 each while Sorm was sentenced to six years and Nith to five. Both were also fined $2,500.



He said Bun, Hour Leang, Sales and Pov were charged with “forging public documents, use of forged documents, abuse of power, intentional destruction and embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds” under Articles 586, 592, 393, 601, 629, and 630 of the Criminal Code, while Sorm and Nith were charged with being accomplices.

Judge Srim said the six men appealed to the Phnom Penh Appeal Court which upheld their sentences in October.

He noted that they were arrested on June 22, 2019 by the Anti-Corruption Unit in Preah Sihanouk province after they had forged land documents and grabbed a total of 525 hectares of state land and villagers’ properties in Koh Rong commune from 2016 to 2019.

 


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