8 Villagers Charged With Robbery in Prey Veng
By Van Roeun
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Eight residents of a Prey Veng province village where a 17-year-old boy was shot dead during a land dispute with local officials Dec 14 have been charged with robbery, court officials said Sunday.
Human rights workers and local residents said the charges appear to be aimed at punishing villagers rather than the district, commune and police officials who rights workers and witnesses have accused of killing Yeng Socheat, 17, and of shooting four other villagers over disputed land.
The killing of Yeng Socheat was the fifth shooting involving officials claiming villagers' land in Peam Chor district. Four other men wee seriously injured in shootings Nov 26 and Dec 5 when local officials fired on villagers protesting what they claimed was the grabbing of their land by local authorities.
Prey Veng court Investigating Judge Piseth Mony said Sunday that he issued summonses for the eight villagers Dec 20 calling them for questioning in relation to the alleged stealing of tents and rice seed in November.
The villagers, who did not appear for questioning, said they knew nothing of the allegations, said Men Makara, provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, Sunday.
Men Makara added that no warrants have yet been issued for any of the local officials involved in the shootings that caused the death of Yeng Socheat and the injuries of the four villagers.
"Why don't they take action on the shootings?" he asked. "Now the villagers are very worried about the summonses. I don't understand the prosecutor's will," he added.
Piseth Mony said that the allegations of robbery were filed by a man named Mol Thoeun and that the villagers should present themselves at court if they are innocent.
Court Prosecutor Yam Yet said that he was unaware of summonses being issued for villagers in Koh Sampov commune, where all five shootings took place.
On Thursday, Adhoc lodged two complaints with Yam Yet urging the court to charge four local officials involved in the Dec 5 and Dec 14 shootings, said Men Makara.
Yam Yet said Friday that he had not yet received the complaints.
Human rights workers and local residents said the charges appear to be aimed at punishing villagers rather than the district, commune and police officials who rights workers and witnesses have accused of killing Yeng Socheat, 17, and of shooting four other villagers over disputed land.
The killing of Yeng Socheat was the fifth shooting involving officials claiming villagers' land in Peam Chor district. Four other men wee seriously injured in shootings Nov 26 and Dec 5 when local officials fired on villagers protesting what they claimed was the grabbing of their land by local authorities.
Prey Veng court Investigating Judge Piseth Mony said Sunday that he issued summonses for the eight villagers Dec 20 calling them for questioning in relation to the alleged stealing of tents and rice seed in November.
The villagers, who did not appear for questioning, said they knew nothing of the allegations, said Men Makara, provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, Sunday.
Men Makara added that no warrants have yet been issued for any of the local officials involved in the shootings that caused the death of Yeng Socheat and the injuries of the four villagers.
"Why don't they take action on the shootings?" he asked. "Now the villagers are very worried about the summonses. I don't understand the prosecutor's will," he added.
Piseth Mony said that the allegations of robbery were filed by a man named Mol Thoeun and that the villagers should present themselves at court if they are innocent.
Court Prosecutor Yam Yet said that he was unaware of summonses being issued for villagers in Koh Sampov commune, where all five shootings took place.
On Thursday, Adhoc lodged two complaints with Yam Yet urging the court to charge four local officials involved in the Dec 5 and Dec 14 shootings, said Men Makara.
Yam Yet said Friday that he had not yet received the complaints.
3 comments:
The court is not corrupt.. it works when its in their interest.
What are you saying? If it works when its in their interest, then it is corrupted.
500riel toilet was being "sarcastic". get it?
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