Sunday, September 03, 2006

Malaysia detains fugitive ex-police chief linked to judge's murder in Cambodia

The Associated Press
September 3, 2006


PHNOM PENH, Cambodia A former Cambodian police chief wanted in connection with the assassination of a judge and other murders is being held in Malaysia awaiting deportation, newspapers reported Sunday.

Heng Pov, the former police chief in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, was handed to Malaysian authorities by Singaporean officials, Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman for Cambodia's Interior Ministry, was cited as saying in the New Cambodia newspaper.

Singapore police said Friday they had arrested Heng Pov for violating immigration rules by overstaying his visa.

Another newspaper, the Light of Cambodia, quoted Khieu Sopheak as saying that Malaysia would help deport Heng Pov to Cambodia.

Khieu Sopheak did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Singaporean authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.

A duty officer at Malaysia's federal police headquarters said he was unaware of Heng Pov's presence in Malaysia. The officer gave only his first name, Ishuandi, citing rules barring him from speaking publicly to the media.

Heng Pov, who entered Singapore on July 23, is wanted in Cambodia for allegedly masterminding the April 2003 murder of Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Sok Setha Mony, who was shot in his car by two unidentified men on a motorcycle.

It was not known how Heng Pov managed to flee Cambodia while he was wanted for the alleged crimes.

He is also accused of being linked to the killing of a Singaporean man in Cambodia and failed murder attempts against a newspaper publisher, an electricity authority official and the national military police chief.

Heng Pov served as Phnom Penh police chief until 2005, when he was promoted to serve as an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen. He also served as undersecretary for the Ministry of the Interior.

He was stripped of all his titles in late July to clear the way for criminal action against him.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia A former Cambodian police chief wanted in connection with the assassination of a judge and other murders is being held in Malaysia awaiting deportation, newspapers reported Sunday.

Heng Pov, the former police chief in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, was handed to Malaysian authorities by Singaporean officials, Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman for Cambodia's Interior Ministry, was cited as saying in the New Cambodia newspaper.

Singapore police said Friday they had arrested Heng Pov for violating immigration rules by overstaying his visa.

Another newspaper, the Light of Cambodia, quoted Khieu Sopheak as saying that Malaysia would help deport Heng Pov to Cambodia.

Khieu Sopheak did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Singaporean authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.

A duty officer at Malaysia's federal police headquarters said he was unaware of Heng Pov's presence in Malaysia. The officer gave only his first name, Ishuandi, citing rules barring him from speaking publicly to the media.

Heng Pov, who entered Singapore on July 23, is wanted in Cambodia for allegedly masterminding the April 2003 murder of Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Sok Setha Mony, who was shot in his car by two unidentified men on a motorcycle.

It was not known how Heng Pov managed to flee Cambodia while he was wanted for the alleged crimes.

He is also accused of being linked to the killing of a Singaporean man in Cambodia and failed murder attempts against a newspaper publisher, an electricity authority official and the national military police chief.

Heng Pov served as Phnom Penh police chief until 2005, when he was promoted to serve as an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen. He also served as undersecretary for the Ministry of the Interior.

He was stripped of all his titles in late July to clear the way for criminal action against him.

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