Chea Mony (Photo: RFA)DPA
The brother of slain Cambodian union leader Chea Vichea said Tuesday he would boycott this week's scheduled appeal hearing for the two men convicted of the murder, saying he feared it would prove to be a farce.
His comments came despite optimism from some legal and human rights activists that new evidence from an eyewitness clearing the two men convicted of the shooting murder, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, of involvement may set them free and cause a new investigation into the killing to be launched.
Chea Mony, who took over from his brother Vichea as president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) following his assassination, said by telephone that he believed a lower court had already accepted the evidence provided by now-disgraced former police chief Heng Pov to convict the two men for the killing and he held out little hope that a higher court would now acquit them.
"This trial runs the risk of being a joke trial. Even though even the lawyer has asked me to go, I refuse. I don't want to see it," Mony said of the upcoming hearing, which is scheduled to be heard by the Cambodian Appeals Court on Friday.
He added that, although compelling, he personally doubted that new evidence tendered by newspaper stand proprietor Va Sothy would make any difference to the verdict even if it was allowed by the court.
Sothy, who was standing almost next to Vichea as the shots were fired, initially maintained she saw nothing but has since provided a statement saying she knew the convicted men were not the real killers, as well as a detailed description of the man she says pulled the trigger and the motorbike driver who dropped him off.
She provided the statement from Bangkok where she has since fled, saying she feared for her life if she spoke out while in Cambodia.
Outspoken union leader and opposition Sam Rainsy Party-aligned Vichea was gunned down as he read the morning newspaper on a busy city street on January 22, 2004. He had just emerged from a period in hiding after being subjected to a series of telephone death threats.
Despite being able to provide multiple alibis for their whereabouts on the day of the murder and tearfully protesting their innocence, Samnang and Sam Oeun were subsequently convicted of the murder by Phnom Penh Municipal Court in a case where no forensic evidence was tabled.
Their case had been handled by disgraced fugitive former top police official Heng Pov, who has since fled overseas in an attempt to escape prosecution for a range of crimes including kidnap, murder and conspiracy to murder. Sothy claims that Heng Pov threatened her to ensure her silence.
In September Heng Pov was convicted of masterminding the April 2003 shooting murder of senior judge Sok Sethamony and sentenced to 18 years in prison in absentia.
However, the government has until now maintained that the investigation into Vichea's murder was thorough and correct, despite almost universal criticism and growing doubts over Heng Pov's role.
At the time of their trial for Vichea's murder, Samnang retracted his confession, showing the court bruising to his temple he claimed had been inflicted by police at gunpoint during his forced confession. Sam Oeun also strongly and repeatedly denied any knowledge of the murder.
The family of Vichea and rights groups decried the 20-year sentence handed down to the pair and refused to accept the 5,000 dollar compensation the men were ordered to pay, saying they did not believe they were the real killers.
His comments came despite optimism from some legal and human rights activists that new evidence from an eyewitness clearing the two men convicted of the shooting murder, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, of involvement may set them free and cause a new investigation into the killing to be launched.
Chea Mony, who took over from his brother Vichea as president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) following his assassination, said by telephone that he believed a lower court had already accepted the evidence provided by now-disgraced former police chief Heng Pov to convict the two men for the killing and he held out little hope that a higher court would now acquit them.
"This trial runs the risk of being a joke trial. Even though even the lawyer has asked me to go, I refuse. I don't want to see it," Mony said of the upcoming hearing, which is scheduled to be heard by the Cambodian Appeals Court on Friday.
He added that, although compelling, he personally doubted that new evidence tendered by newspaper stand proprietor Va Sothy would make any difference to the verdict even if it was allowed by the court.
Sothy, who was standing almost next to Vichea as the shots were fired, initially maintained she saw nothing but has since provided a statement saying she knew the convicted men were not the real killers, as well as a detailed description of the man she says pulled the trigger and the motorbike driver who dropped him off.
She provided the statement from Bangkok where she has since fled, saying she feared for her life if she spoke out while in Cambodia.
Outspoken union leader and opposition Sam Rainsy Party-aligned Vichea was gunned down as he read the morning newspaper on a busy city street on January 22, 2004. He had just emerged from a period in hiding after being subjected to a series of telephone death threats.
Despite being able to provide multiple alibis for their whereabouts on the day of the murder and tearfully protesting their innocence, Samnang and Sam Oeun were subsequently convicted of the murder by Phnom Penh Municipal Court in a case where no forensic evidence was tabled.
Their case had been handled by disgraced fugitive former top police official Heng Pov, who has since fled overseas in an attempt to escape prosecution for a range of crimes including kidnap, murder and conspiracy to murder. Sothy claims that Heng Pov threatened her to ensure her silence.
In September Heng Pov was convicted of masterminding the April 2003 shooting murder of senior judge Sok Sethamony and sentenced to 18 years in prison in absentia.
However, the government has until now maintained that the investigation into Vichea's murder was thorough and correct, despite almost universal criticism and growing doubts over Heng Pov's role.
At the time of their trial for Vichea's murder, Samnang retracted his confession, showing the court bruising to his temple he claimed had been inflicted by police at gunpoint during his forced confession. Sam Oeun also strongly and repeatedly denied any knowledge of the murder.
The family of Vichea and rights groups decried the 20-year sentence handed down to the pair and refused to accept the 5,000 dollar compensation the men were ordered to pay, saying they did not believe they were the real killers.
2 comments:
No law nothing exept the mother killer Hun Sen.
If there is not thing change, by reforme Cambodia Royal Police Force and Army, there is no justice in the country exept a slow systematicly killing by the gang of Ah HUN SEN!
Do not help this poppet of Vietnamemomiss to be legal, boy cut the unjusted election!
hUN SEN WILL PUNISH THE HOLD TOWN IF WE NOT GO TO VOTE! HE WIIL WIN ANY WAY1
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