By Douglas Gillison
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Singapore has yet to deport disgraced former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov to Cambodia as promised, but officials at the Interior Ministry remain hopeful, ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said Monday.
Singapore's Criminal Investigation Department officially promised on Aug 22 to deport Heng Pov to Cambodia after his one-month visit pass expired Saturday, a high-ranking official in the Cambodian National Police claimed last week.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said Monday that Heng Pov has not yet been apprehended, but that cooperation with Singapore is continuing.
"We feel confident that the CID of Singapore did not just show the grass to the horse. They will give the grass to the horse to eat," he said, adding that Cambodian police were unsure when they would ultimately be able to lay their hands on Heng Pov.
Officials at the Singaporean embassy could not be contacted. But Second Secretary Jonathan Lim said last week that Singapore would not comment on the affair while Singaporean and Cambodian police were cooperating.
David Chen, an Australia-based attorney representing Heng Pov, said Friday that his client would have to appear in a Singapore court prior to any attempt to extradite him, which he would strenuously oppose. It would be impossible for Heng Pov, who is accused of a multitude of crimes, to stand trial in a Cambodian court as he would not get a fair hearing, Chen said. "How can we trust a legal system in which there's only allegations flying around against [Heng Pov] and he's already been criminalized?" he asked.
Keo Vanthan, first deputy director of the Cambodian Interpol office in Phnom Penh, said Interpol would be aware of Heng Pov's movements even if he traveled to a country that does not require entry visas for Cambodians, such as the Philippines.
Singapore's Criminal Investigation Department officially promised on Aug 22 to deport Heng Pov to Cambodia after his one-month visit pass expired Saturday, a high-ranking official in the Cambodian National Police claimed last week.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said Monday that Heng Pov has not yet been apprehended, but that cooperation with Singapore is continuing.
"We feel confident that the CID of Singapore did not just show the grass to the horse. They will give the grass to the horse to eat," he said, adding that Cambodian police were unsure when they would ultimately be able to lay their hands on Heng Pov.
Officials at the Singaporean embassy could not be contacted. But Second Secretary Jonathan Lim said last week that Singapore would not comment on the affair while Singaporean and Cambodian police were cooperating.
David Chen, an Australia-based attorney representing Heng Pov, said Friday that his client would have to appear in a Singapore court prior to any attempt to extradite him, which he would strenuously oppose. It would be impossible for Heng Pov, who is accused of a multitude of crimes, to stand trial in a Cambodian court as he would not get a fair hearing, Chen said. "How can we trust a legal system in which there's only allegations flying around against [Heng Pov] and he's already been criminalized?" he asked.
Keo Vanthan, first deputy director of the Cambodian Interpol office in Phnom Penh, said Interpol would be aware of Heng Pov's movements even if he traveled to a country that does not require entry visas for Cambodians, such as the Philippines.
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