AFP
KUALA LUMPUR
MALAYSIA is expected next week to release a detained Cambodian ex-police chief who fled murder charges in his country, deporting him to Singapore en route to asylum in Finland, his lawyers said yesterday.
Heng Pov, 49, has been under arrest here since early October for immigration offences and has been fighting deportation to Cambodia, where he says he will be tortured and killed.
The High Court on Friday ordered Heng Pov, who arrived in September from Singapore, be returned to the city state. From there, he is planning to travel to Finland, which has offered him refuge.
Heng Pov's lawyer, A Sivananthan, said he would be released after paying the costs of his detention and deportation, expected to be early next week.
"We have contacted immigration and they have informed us that pursuant to the court order, they are required to firstly calculate the costs due to the government from his detention here," Sivananthan told AFP.
"They will inform me tomorrow and once I settle that, they will proceed to deport him to immigration control in Singapore," he said.
Sivananthan said Malaysia was making Heng Pov travel by land to his point of entry in southern Johor state, which is joined by bridges to Singapore.
Heng Pov was convicted and sentenced in absentia on September 18 for conspiracy in connection with the killing of a judge in Phnom Penh.
Finland has offered him a visa, citing human rights concerns, and drawn fire from Cambodia over its decision.
"While Singapore may not want him to enter ... I see no reason for them not to allow him to transit and take the flight to Helsinki," said Sivananthan.
"Once he is sent to Singapore, he is willing to leave immediately for Helsinki," he said.
Confusion reigned late on Friday and yesterday after the Malaysian court ruling, when Heng Pov was moved from police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where he has been detained.
With only limited access to Heng Pov, his lawyers - who gave authorities his air ticket for a Friday night flight to Singapore - thought the move meant his immediate departure.
The lawyers boarded a flight to Singapore to see their client, only to find Heng Pov absent.
"We were waiting in Singapore for him until 12 pm today and we took the flight back," said another of Heng Pov's lawyers, Abdul Shukor Ahmad.
Heng Pov, 49, has been under arrest here since early October for immigration offences and has been fighting deportation to Cambodia, where he says he will be tortured and killed.
The High Court on Friday ordered Heng Pov, who arrived in September from Singapore, be returned to the city state. From there, he is planning to travel to Finland, which has offered him refuge.
Heng Pov's lawyer, A Sivananthan, said he would be released after paying the costs of his detention and deportation, expected to be early next week.
"We have contacted immigration and they have informed us that pursuant to the court order, they are required to firstly calculate the costs due to the government from his detention here," Sivananthan told AFP.
"They will inform me tomorrow and once I settle that, they will proceed to deport him to immigration control in Singapore," he said.
Sivananthan said Malaysia was making Heng Pov travel by land to his point of entry in southern Johor state, which is joined by bridges to Singapore.
Heng Pov was convicted and sentenced in absentia on September 18 for conspiracy in connection with the killing of a judge in Phnom Penh.
Finland has offered him a visa, citing human rights concerns, and drawn fire from Cambodia over its decision.
"While Singapore may not want him to enter ... I see no reason for them not to allow him to transit and take the flight to Helsinki," said Sivananthan.
"Once he is sent to Singapore, he is willing to leave immediately for Helsinki," he said.
Confusion reigned late on Friday and yesterday after the Malaysian court ruling, when Heng Pov was moved from police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where he has been detained.
With only limited access to Heng Pov, his lawyers - who gave authorities his air ticket for a Friday night flight to Singapore - thought the move meant his immediate departure.
The lawyers boarded a flight to Singapore to see their client, only to find Heng Pov absent.
"We were waiting in Singapore for him until 12 pm today and we took the flight back," said another of Heng Pov's lawyers, Abdul Shukor Ahmad.
1 comment:
Would it be great if any country such as Finland conducted a final interview in detail with Heng P about his crime in Cambodia and show it all to public to know before his departure to Finland; Therefore,we khmers believe that justice will be get done no matter who you are.
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