Hok Lundy (L) and Heng Pov (R)Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Heng Pov's House Raided, Arrest Warrant Issued
By Saing Soenthrith and Phann Ana
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Takhmau district, Kandal province - Police Monday searched a house belonging to former Municipal Police Chief Heng Pov and seized nine firearms, including handguns and high-powered assault rifles, as well as $30,000 in counterfeit US currency, according to Mok Chito, Interior Ministry penal police chief.
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy said an arrest warrant for Heng Pov has been issued, and that he is wanted in connection with the 2003 assassination of a Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge and the attempted assassinations of three other people, as well as other unspecified crimes.
Heng Pov was officially stripped on Friday of his positions as adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen and undersecretary of state at the Interior Ministry, Hok Lundy said.
At about 2 pm, some 60 police officers searched Heng Pov's home in Takhmau. Speaking to reporters outside the property in Thmei village, Mok Chito said police had arrested eight men discovered inside the house and taken them into custody for questioning. He said he did not know whether they were Heng Pov's bodyguards.
"We found weapons inside and [the men] were inside," he said. "So we have a high-level order to take them in for questioning." The men were in the custody of the penal police at the Interior Ministry, he said. "We've found nine weapons, including assault rifles and handguns, and 30,000 counterfeit dollars," Mok Chito said.
A search warrant was also issued Monday for a house belonging to Heng Pov in Phnom Penh's Russei Keo district, Mok Chito said.
Veng Chak, chief of police in Russei Keo's Chroy Changva commune, said municipal police officials, including Deputy Municipal Police Chief Pol Piethey, had sealed off two houses in the district also belonging to Heng Pov.
He referred further questions to Pol Piethey, who could not be reached.
One source close to Heng Pov claimed on condition of anonymity that Heng Pov was taken into custody Sunday evening after returning to Phnom Penh from Singapore. However, Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak denied the report.
"I asked [General Information Police Department Chief] Chhay Sinarith and he said no," Khieu Sopheak said, adding that authorities have also seized Heng Pov's financial assets.
A police official at Phnom Penh International Airport said on condition of anonymity that Heng Pov flew to Singapore on July 23. His current whereabouts are uncertain.
Interior Ministry investigators obtained evidence against Heng Pov from the confessions of prison escapee Heng Vuthy, former deputy chief of the municipal police criminal section, who was arrested in February and charged with the April 2003 intentional killing of Municipal Court judge Sok Sethamony, Hok Lundy said.
Prior to his escape, Hang Vuthy implicated Heng Pov in the judge's killing and in two failed attempts to assassinate both National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha and Phnom Penh Municipal Court Prosecutor Ouk Savouth, as well as a failed attempt to kill an Electricite du Cambodge official in November, Hok Lundy said.
Hang Vuthy was among 12 prisoners who police say escaped from Pray Sar prison on June 11. He has not been apprehended.
Hok Lundy said that as Phnom Penh police chief, Heng Pov had ordered his officers to commit a range of crimes.
"These four serious crimes are enough to punish him his whole life without counting thousands of lesser crimes," Hok Lundy said.
A source inside the Interior Ministry said Heng Pov was a capable professional who sometimes dealt poorly with authority figures. "From a professional point of view, he was capable, a good cop," the source said.
"If he's made mistakes, they concern respect for the hierarchy," said the source, who described Heng Pov as "someone who often had trouble dealing with the guy immediately above him."
(Additional reporting by Douglas Gillison)
National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy said an arrest warrant for Heng Pov has been issued, and that he is wanted in connection with the 2003 assassination of a Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge and the attempted assassinations of three other people, as well as other unspecified crimes.
Heng Pov was officially stripped on Friday of his positions as adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen and undersecretary of state at the Interior Ministry, Hok Lundy said.
At about 2 pm, some 60 police officers searched Heng Pov's home in Takhmau. Speaking to reporters outside the property in Thmei village, Mok Chito said police had arrested eight men discovered inside the house and taken them into custody for questioning. He said he did not know whether they were Heng Pov's bodyguards.
"We found weapons inside and [the men] were inside," he said. "So we have a high-level order to take them in for questioning." The men were in the custody of the penal police at the Interior Ministry, he said. "We've found nine weapons, including assault rifles and handguns, and 30,000 counterfeit dollars," Mok Chito said.
A search warrant was also issued Monday for a house belonging to Heng Pov in Phnom Penh's Russei Keo district, Mok Chito said.
Veng Chak, chief of police in Russei Keo's Chroy Changva commune, said municipal police officials, including Deputy Municipal Police Chief Pol Piethey, had sealed off two houses in the district also belonging to Heng Pov.
He referred further questions to Pol Piethey, who could not be reached.
One source close to Heng Pov claimed on condition of anonymity that Heng Pov was taken into custody Sunday evening after returning to Phnom Penh from Singapore. However, Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak denied the report.
"I asked [General Information Police Department Chief] Chhay Sinarith and he said no," Khieu Sopheak said, adding that authorities have also seized Heng Pov's financial assets.
A police official at Phnom Penh International Airport said on condition of anonymity that Heng Pov flew to Singapore on July 23. His current whereabouts are uncertain.
Interior Ministry investigators obtained evidence against Heng Pov from the confessions of prison escapee Heng Vuthy, former deputy chief of the municipal police criminal section, who was arrested in February and charged with the April 2003 intentional killing of Municipal Court judge Sok Sethamony, Hok Lundy said.
Prior to his escape, Hang Vuthy implicated Heng Pov in the judge's killing and in two failed attempts to assassinate both National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha and Phnom Penh Municipal Court Prosecutor Ouk Savouth, as well as a failed attempt to kill an Electricite du Cambodge official in November, Hok Lundy said.
Hang Vuthy was among 12 prisoners who police say escaped from Pray Sar prison on June 11. He has not been apprehended.
Hok Lundy said that as Phnom Penh police chief, Heng Pov had ordered his officers to commit a range of crimes.
"These four serious crimes are enough to punish him his whole life without counting thousands of lesser crimes," Hok Lundy said.
A source inside the Interior Ministry said Heng Pov was a capable professional who sometimes dealt poorly with authority figures. "From a professional point of view, he was capable, a good cop," the source said.
"If he's made mistakes, they concern respect for the hierarchy," said the source, who described Heng Pov as "someone who often had trouble dealing with the guy immediately above him."
(Additional reporting by Douglas Gillison)
11 comments:
Anonymous said...
This is just a conflict of interest between high rankings of Cambodian mafia led by Hunsen.
There will be more such events in the future clean up of corruption made by the ruling party CPP.
The first victims are FUNCINPEC's members the second are those of CCP's members who refuse to pay "membership tuition"of the MAFIA to Hunsen.
If anyone wants to understand what happen in Cambodia, you have to understand what is the Mafia's rule?
Cambodia is ruling by a group of mafia composed of 3 big mafia groups lead by Hunsen, Cheasim and Rannriddh.Samraingsy is waiting to joint it.The most powerfull gang is the Hunsen's gang.The latter wants to eliminate other two gangs.
If there will a justice made by Cambodian people that will surprise the world because just over 12 years each Mafia member has made hundreds of millions dollars.Part of that money is from tax payers of western or rich countries.
We have to congratulate Cambodian Mafia that can cheat the leaders of the so called Doner Countries.
S.Rithy Sen
Welldone!!! it was good show they performed, once share is not correctly devided, this is the result you get.......not too bad though......you collect your money run to another country, live in happy life.....i start a show for media and the world.. guy these tricks were played several time before, please find a better trcik for the next one, we all know about it.
Heng Peuv is the first. There will be more incliding Hunsen, Chea sim, Rannariddh, Raingsy ect...
CHHAK KHOK TIP (magic eyes)
Rainsy too? Oh come on! His excellency Sam Rainsy had been pushing for anti-corruption law to pass many times! What you just see here is just a fucken show! I will tell you what! When anti-corruption law is passed, any assets hold by any public figure will be declare publically and the hammer of justice will land on them when it is discovered any assets are ill-gotten!
His excellency Sam Rainsy know better!
One his excellency Sam Rainsy is in power (probably not in his lifetime)he'll be just as corrupted. These pigs Cambodian politicians are all the same from top to bottom (Hunsen, Ranarith, King, Sam Rainsy(to be corrupted)you name it...). Next time if you get a chance, just vote for a monk.
What monk?
Hochi Monk, a k Tep Vong?
Who are you? Please be honest and fair to your comment. I don't think Mr. Rainsey has committed any crime or corruption against our people yet, instead he is a sole leader who we can trust for the future of our country. He is a leading figure who bravely speaks against all evil things in Cambodia. You may not well informed about the current situation in Cambodia that leads you to misjudgement.
To 6:34PM
Why do you put monk in such a high place! Remember monk are human just like you and me! An being a human you got to have greed, ambition, lust, love, ...
Monk can be corrupted like any one else! So please watch out for your beautiful young daughter when you go to the temple because some of those young monks have a very evil eye! ahaha
Please judge people for their character and their action!
Watch your weigh future politician!
You don't want to look like those two oink! oink!
Alls of are to young to understand political !
I never believed everything Hun Sen has said. Hun Sen is always using his Communist style upon others. Hun Sen is using Pol Pot's strategy to purge (get rid) Khmers one by one who know so much about his activity with Youn. Hun Sen kills everyone who dares to write about him. Didn't Hun Sen want to kill a journalist named Sok Pov Khemara? Hun Sen is an animal I do not trust or believe him. This man needs to be dead so Cambodia can have a good future. I think Heng Pov knows too much about Hun Sen's activities or who knows? Until Heng Pov tells the world about Hun Sen's activites then I will decide later, otherwise I still have doubt about this story.
Because Communist lie all the time, and that thug Hun Sen lies in brought day light.
Cambodia will never get better if that evil man Hun Sen is in power.
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