Heng Pov (L) and Kim Daravuth (R) (Photo: Koh Santepheap)By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
28 March 2008
Fallen city police chief Heng Pov refused to answer questions from a municipal judge Friday, as a trial on conspiracy to murder opened against him.
Heng Pov's lawyer also refused to answer questions from Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Chhay Kong, who gave Heng Pov 18 months on illegal weapons charges in a case in 2006.
No verdict was issued at the close of Friday's trial, but one is expected soon.
Heng Pov, who rose to power as Phnom Penh's municipal police chief, had sought a change of judge ahead of the trial, claiming Chhay Kong had unjustly sentenced to prison members of his household, including a housekeeper, gardener and dog-keeper, in a previous case.
"This is the first time I have been in a hearing when the accused refused to answer the judge," said Tong Heng, a court monitor for the Center for Social Development.
Heng Pov is charged with ordering a murder attempt on Elecricite du Cambodge branch officer Kim Daravuth, who was shot in the neck and paralyzed by gunmen following a dispute over an electricity bill with the former police chief in mid-2005.
If convicted, Heng Pov faces an additional sentence of 10 years to life, added to the 40 years and six months he is already serving for other crimes, including ordering the murder of Municipal Court judge Sok Sothamony in 2003, possessing $400,000 in counterfeit bills and illegally detaining a suspect without trial.
He faces further criminal charges, including kidnapping, illegal detention and murder.
Heng Pov's lawyer also refused to answer questions from Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Chhay Kong, who gave Heng Pov 18 months on illegal weapons charges in a case in 2006.
No verdict was issued at the close of Friday's trial, but one is expected soon.
Heng Pov, who rose to power as Phnom Penh's municipal police chief, had sought a change of judge ahead of the trial, claiming Chhay Kong had unjustly sentenced to prison members of his household, including a housekeeper, gardener and dog-keeper, in a previous case.
"This is the first time I have been in a hearing when the accused refused to answer the judge," said Tong Heng, a court monitor for the Center for Social Development.
Heng Pov is charged with ordering a murder attempt on Elecricite du Cambodge branch officer Kim Daravuth, who was shot in the neck and paralyzed by gunmen following a dispute over an electricity bill with the former police chief in mid-2005.
If convicted, Heng Pov faces an additional sentence of 10 years to life, added to the 40 years and six months he is already serving for other crimes, including ordering the murder of Municipal Court judge Sok Sothamony in 2003, possessing $400,000 in counterfeit bills and illegally detaining a suspect without trial.
He faces further criminal charges, including kidnapping, illegal detention and murder.
4 comments:
Heng Pov? 3 H(Heng +Hun+ Hok) are the same,.Heng Pov is in the court?Hun Xen and Hok Longdy have to go also to the court!!!!!They are 3 H the same terrorist and the big khmers people murder,they are killer!!!Ah Hun Xen is the first killer!!!He kills only the khmer people,no youn people!!!He like youn Hanoi!!!
Dictator Hun Xen will die on 27.07.2008.
It's bad not to answer the judge's question. I wonder what is Heng Pov thinking?
The judge is probably Ah Kwack and the Prosecutor is probably Ah Lundy. Can't blame him. I plead the 5th.
And again, the 5th is probably death sentence according to Ah Kwack legal terms that he made up as he go. I'm surprised that Heng Pov is not dead yet. I'm willing to bet that the next time he goes to court.... and accident will run into him. LOL!!!!
Guess who the driver that hit him? Mmmmmm!!!!!!!
Rubbish, he's 100% guilty of the charge, and everyone knows it. I mean how can he look at his victim and answer the charge. He can't.
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