By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Ratanakkiri province's former governor Kham Khoeun was sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison Thursday for his role in the notorious 2004 Virachey National Park illegal logging scandal.
Kham Khoeun, a well-known CPP figure who was never detained and is reportedly living freely in neighboring Laos, was found guilty, along with six other government officials, of involvement in the sophisticated multi-million dollar logging racket which stripped trees from the national park and trucked them across the border to Vietnam.
Of the five other officials sentenced to prison terms, only one, Ratanakkiri's former provincial police chief Yoeung Baloung, is currently in detention. Yoeung Baloung was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Deputy Director Ke Sakhom said by telephone.
"I don't know where they are," Ke Sakhom said of the five at-large officials.
Of the five fugitives, Ke Sakhom said that former provincial military commander Moeung Samoeun was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $20,000; former Virachey park director Koy Sokha was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $12,500; former border police chief Phon Sophat, his deputy Keo Luna and former commander of RCAF Battalion I Liam Say were each handed 15 year sentences and fined $12,500 each.
Ratanakkiri's former forestry administration chief Khom Sareth was given two years probation and fined $5,000 for providing false information about the 2004 logging operation, he said.
On top of their jail terms, Ke Sakhorn ordered the six officials to collectively pay the Ministry of Environment $15 million compensation for the destruction wrought on the forests of Virachey park, which was only uncovered during an aerial investigation of the remote border region.
"If they don’t have that money, ,we will confiscate their properties," the judge said. "If they are poor, their sentences will be extended until they pay," he added.
Kham Khoeun's lawyer, Puth Theavy, said the verdict was unjust and that he would appeal the sentence "in all the courts in the land."
"Khmer do bad things against their fellow Khmer," Puth Theavy said of the verdict. He added that he had no idea where his client was currently living, but noted that Kham Khoeun did not have money to pay the fine.
Moeung Samoeun's lawyer, Chou Chantheara, also said that his client whose whereabouts he claimed not to know, was innocent and that he too would appeal the sentence and fine, which he said the former army chief would be unable to pay.
"How could he have such money?" Chou Chantheara asked. "This is very severe," he added.
Pen Bonnar, Ratanakkiri provincial coordinator with local rights group Adhoc, said that only political will from the government could ensure the apprehension of government officials eluding justice.
"We demand that the government make these arrests possible," he said. "If the court and the executive system are willing to arrest them, they can do it... If the police are willing, they will be sent to prison."
Kham Khoeun, a well-known CPP figure who was never detained and is reportedly living freely in neighboring Laos, was found guilty, along with six other government officials, of involvement in the sophisticated multi-million dollar logging racket which stripped trees from the national park and trucked them across the border to Vietnam.
Of the five other officials sentenced to prison terms, only one, Ratanakkiri's former provincial police chief Yoeung Baloung, is currently in detention. Yoeung Baloung was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Deputy Director Ke Sakhom said by telephone.
"I don't know where they are," Ke Sakhom said of the five at-large officials.
Of the five fugitives, Ke Sakhom said that former provincial military commander Moeung Samoeun was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $20,000; former Virachey park director Koy Sokha was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $12,500; former border police chief Phon Sophat, his deputy Keo Luna and former commander of RCAF Battalion I Liam Say were each handed 15 year sentences and fined $12,500 each.
Ratanakkiri's former forestry administration chief Khom Sareth was given two years probation and fined $5,000 for providing false information about the 2004 logging operation, he said.
On top of their jail terms, Ke Sakhorn ordered the six officials to collectively pay the Ministry of Environment $15 million compensation for the destruction wrought on the forests of Virachey park, which was only uncovered during an aerial investigation of the remote border region.
"If they don’t have that money, ,we will confiscate their properties," the judge said. "If they are poor, their sentences will be extended until they pay," he added.
Kham Khoeun's lawyer, Puth Theavy, said the verdict was unjust and that he would appeal the sentence "in all the courts in the land."
"Khmer do bad things against their fellow Khmer," Puth Theavy said of the verdict. He added that he had no idea where his client was currently living, but noted that Kham Khoeun did not have money to pay the fine.
Moeung Samoeun's lawyer, Chou Chantheara, also said that his client whose whereabouts he claimed not to know, was innocent and that he too would appeal the sentence and fine, which he said the former army chief would be unable to pay.
"How could he have such money?" Chou Chantheara asked. "This is very severe," he added.
Pen Bonnar, Ratanakkiri provincial coordinator with local rights group Adhoc, said that only political will from the government could ensure the apprehension of government officials eluding justice.
"We demand that the government make these arrests possible," he said. "If the court and the executive system are willing to arrest them, they can do it... If the police are willing, they will be sent to prison."
1 comment:
Please send cambodian authority to Lao to arrest Kham Khoeun. If you let this culprit roaming free, the other will repeat this act again. It is very obvious that Khmer always do crime and getting away with it all the times.
By Norodom reajeasie
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