Khieu Sopheak, the generalissimo-spokesman of the Ministry of Interior (Photo: RFA)Friday, August 25, 2006
Ex-Trafficking Official Gets 5 Years for Bribes
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
"A lot of police are in prison. This is the
implementation of the law in Cambodia."
—Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry spokesman
implementation of the law in Cambodia."
—Khieu Sopheak, Interior Ministry spokesman
Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced the disgraced former deputy director of the Interior Ministry's anti-human-trafficking department to five years in prison Thursday for taking bribes from brothel owners to ensure their release from custody.
The court also sentenced two of Touch Ngim's former underlings at the department to seven years each in absentia, and ordered the three men to pay $9,000 in compensation to the brothel owners who were freed following a raid on a Kompong Speu province sex den in September 2004.
Following his conviction, Touch Ngim alleged that his department's director, Un Sokunthea, had masterminded the shakedown and should also be prosecuted, though National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy dismissed the allegation.
"She didn't extort money from anybody," Hok Lundy said by telephone Thursday.
Presiding Judge Ke Sakhan said that the case reflects poorly on the entire police force.
"It destroys order. It affects the national police," he told the court. "It happened at the heart of the Interior Ministry."
He added that more people will be charged in the case, though he did not elaborate.
The judge said Touch Ngim conspired with fellow officers Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun to extort the money from six brothel owners, threatening that they would be taken to Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh if they failed to pay up.
The court issued stiffer sentences to the junior officers because they played a more active role, although they were acting on Touch Ngim's orders, Ke Sakhan said. If Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun are still employed in the force, they must be fired and imprisoned, the judge said.
"Although they are hiding or working, their ranks must be stripped and they must be fired from work," he added.
The judge said that the officials took the bribes without the knowledge of their superiors, although they did inform one unidentified superior the following day.
He also acknowledged that the men forwarded the cash to a superior following the release of the brothel owners, but said the unidentified person was unaware that the money had been obtained dishonestly.
"If the superior knew, [the superior] would not have let them act like this," the judge said.
Dressed in Adidas jogging pants, a long-sleeved green shirt and Nike running shoes, 52-year-old Touch Ngim claimed that he had been acting on Un Sokunthea's orders.
"I don’t agree with the [verdict] because the case involved more people," he said. "The first involvement is Un Sokunthea, the department director," he alleged. "She ordered me to do it. She did not even order me to just demand $3,000 but $4,000," he claimed.
Un Sokunthea could not be reached for comment, though Hok Lundy came to her defense.
"She didn't realize where Touch Ngim took [the money] from," he said.
Hok Lundy welcomed Touch Ngim's conviction, saying he was guilty of corruption. He added that Un Sokunthea had legitimately spent the $3,000 she received from Touch Ngim. "The $3,000 was spent on the building of a bureau," Hok Lundy explained.
At Touch Ngim's hearing on Aug 8, his lawyer, Keo Ya, presented a letter that he said Un Sokunthea wrote to Hok Lundy following the release of the pimps.
In the letter, Un Sokunthea said Touch Ngim conspired with Kompong Speu Provincial Court to release the six without reporting to her. But she allegedly added that Touch Ngim gave her $3,000 the next day and told her that the money was from the release of the suspects.
Un Sokunthea allegedly added that she spent some of the money on a new building and some on an unidentified "mission" to Oddar Meanchey province, and gave some of it to civil servants in an administrative office.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak welcomed the conviction and said the case would not harm the reputation of the national police.
"They are criminals," he said of the three officers, adding that this is not the first time police officials have been jailed.
"There have been a lot of cases already," he said. "A lot of police are in prison. This is the implementation of the law in Cambodia"
He also said that Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun will be fired if they are still working in the force, and then arrested.
Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Thong Kim Heng said earlier this month that he was unaware of the allegations against him, and that he had been studying at the Royal National Police School in Kandal province for the last several months.
Rin Saroeun's whereabouts are unknown.
The court also sentenced two of Touch Ngim's former underlings at the department to seven years each in absentia, and ordered the three men to pay $9,000 in compensation to the brothel owners who were freed following a raid on a Kompong Speu province sex den in September 2004.
Following his conviction, Touch Ngim alleged that his department's director, Un Sokunthea, had masterminded the shakedown and should also be prosecuted, though National Police Commissioner Hok Lundy dismissed the allegation.
"She didn't extort money from anybody," Hok Lundy said by telephone Thursday.
Presiding Judge Ke Sakhan said that the case reflects poorly on the entire police force.
"It destroys order. It affects the national police," he told the court. "It happened at the heart of the Interior Ministry."
He added that more people will be charged in the case, though he did not elaborate.
The judge said Touch Ngim conspired with fellow officers Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun to extort the money from six brothel owners, threatening that they would be taken to Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh if they failed to pay up.
The court issued stiffer sentences to the junior officers because they played a more active role, although they were acting on Touch Ngim's orders, Ke Sakhan said. If Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun are still employed in the force, they must be fired and imprisoned, the judge said.
"Although they are hiding or working, their ranks must be stripped and they must be fired from work," he added.
The judge said that the officials took the bribes without the knowledge of their superiors, although they did inform one unidentified superior the following day.
He also acknowledged that the men forwarded the cash to a superior following the release of the brothel owners, but said the unidentified person was unaware that the money had been obtained dishonestly.
"If the superior knew, [the superior] would not have let them act like this," the judge said.
Dressed in Adidas jogging pants, a long-sleeved green shirt and Nike running shoes, 52-year-old Touch Ngim claimed that he had been acting on Un Sokunthea's orders.
"I don’t agree with the [verdict] because the case involved more people," he said. "The first involvement is Un Sokunthea, the department director," he alleged. "She ordered me to do it. She did not even order me to just demand $3,000 but $4,000," he claimed.
Un Sokunthea could not be reached for comment, though Hok Lundy came to her defense.
"She didn't realize where Touch Ngim took [the money] from," he said.
Hok Lundy welcomed Touch Ngim's conviction, saying he was guilty of corruption. He added that Un Sokunthea had legitimately spent the $3,000 she received from Touch Ngim. "The $3,000 was spent on the building of a bureau," Hok Lundy explained.
At Touch Ngim's hearing on Aug 8, his lawyer, Keo Ya, presented a letter that he said Un Sokunthea wrote to Hok Lundy following the release of the pimps.
In the letter, Un Sokunthea said Touch Ngim conspired with Kompong Speu Provincial Court to release the six without reporting to her. But she allegedly added that Touch Ngim gave her $3,000 the next day and told her that the money was from the release of the suspects.
Un Sokunthea allegedly added that she spent some of the money on a new building and some on an unidentified "mission" to Oddar Meanchey province, and gave some of it to civil servants in an administrative office.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak welcomed the conviction and said the case would not harm the reputation of the national police.
"They are criminals," he said of the three officers, adding that this is not the first time police officials have been jailed.
"There have been a lot of cases already," he said. "A lot of police are in prison. This is the implementation of the law in Cambodia"
He also said that Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun will be fired if they are still working in the force, and then arrested.
Thong Kim Heng and Rin Saroeun could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Thong Kim Heng said earlier this month that he was unaware of the allegations against him, and that he had been studying at the Royal National Police School in Kandal province for the last several months.
Rin Saroeun's whereabouts are unknown.
3 comments:
Good, come on out of the closet, the more people revealing the Dark Secret of the CPP -- the better society going to get. If any police officers who care about Cambodia should protect the society as whole, not just fulfill the egotistical needs.
We (Khmer society) needed to move forward. In the last 3 or more decade, CPP hasn't progress due intimadation/oppressor from the top.
What justice is A two youns Hok kogdy and Khiev Sopheak`?
KHiev Sopheak will be next on the line to be accused by hun sen and hok Lundy for all crimes committed by these last two in Cambodia. Today he can smile for Heng Pov. But Heng Pov has gone as refugee, Khiev Sopheak will be next to be accused!!!!! You can help your friend or you can be selfish!!!!!
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