Friday, May 04, 2012

Guard charged in case of slain Cambodian activist

May 4, 2012

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A private security guard is accused of murdering a military policeman who had just fatally shot a prominent environmentalist in Cambodia, a human rights worker said Friday.

Military policeman In Ratana shot and killed Chut Wutty on April 26 during a confrontation near a logging camp that the activist was investigating. The policeman was then shot himself.

Logging company security guard Ran Boroth faces charges of "unintentional murder" in the death of the policeman, said In Kong Chet of the rights group Licadho.

Ran Boroth, 26, appeared before the Koh Kong provincial court Friday. The charge said he tried to grab In Ratana's gun away from him when it went off, killing him.

Human rights groups have condemned and called for a thorough investigation into Chut Wutty's killing at a checkpoint after he had taken two journalists to investigate illegal logging in a protected forest area. Activists in Cambodia commonly face intimidation and violence in the course of their work, which often targets official corruption.


Suspicions about the circumstances of Chut Wutty's killing were also raised by the conflicting accounts of the incident. Military police first said the environmentalist had killed In Ratana, and then claimed the officer had killed himself.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday ordered an investigation.

The U.S. Embassy in Cambodia on Thursday issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" about the incident.

"We urge Cambodian authorities to undertake a thorough, transparent, and credible investigation into this matter. Furthermore, the United States encourages authorities to prosecute anyone found responsible in a similarly transparent and credible manner," it said.

The prosecutor and investigating judge in Koh Kong could not be reached for comment.

Thong Narong, a military police commander in Koh Kong, said Friday that Ran Boroth had been arrested and sent to court, but he refused further comment.

According to Licadho's In Kong Chet, who said he learned the details of the case from court documents, Ran Boroth could face up to three years in prison if convicted.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Police first said he had been involved in a shoot-out with an officer. Then they said the officer had shot Chut Wutty before committing suicide."

=I never thought that Cambodian can be this stupid! This is so fucken stupid to copy a terrorist! It doesn't make any sense at all! So all the Cambodian polices out there are on a suicidal mission when confronting Cambodian people? This is a classic trait of terrorists who are on suicidal mission! This is a domestic terrorist act against Cambodian people!

Hold all those mother fuckers against the wall and make them stand on fire and bring them all to justice!

Anonymous said...

The bullets were sprayed from the automatic riffle onto his car and called that accidental or unintentional murder ? Oops, didn't mean to kill him. This is only in the Kingdom of Wonders. Full of wonders....wonders why.

Anonymous said...

Unintentional killing. Unintentional raping. Unintentional fraud. To many DUMB Khmer from the jungle using the jungle law.

Anonymous said...

" UNINTENTIONAL" ?? MR. B. GRABBED THE AK47 ASSAULT RIFLE FROM
MR A. AND ACCIDENTALLY IT WHEN OFF AND HIT MR. A IN HIS STOMACH.
HITTING BY THE ASSAULT RIFLE, MR A MUST BE TOO WEAK TO CONTINUE
TO WRESTLE WITH MR B OR MR A MIGHT FELL DOWN . BUT WHY MR A. GOT HIT IN HIS CHEST WITH THE SECOND BULLET ?? TWO LADIES JOURNALISTS REPORTED THAT THE TWO WOUNDED PERSONS WERE LEFT
BLEEDING TO DEATH - THIS IS UNINTENTIONAL KILLING TOO ??

Anonymous said...

Monkey judge in monkey court in Koh Kong!

Nobody believes on this COVER UP from a monkey judge in the kingdom without wonder.

Anonymous said...

The lousy judge working for lousy
goverment. I think this is not a second Chhouk bandit . The jugdical
in Cambodia was fuck .

Anonymous said...

In the Kingdom of the Wander every shooting of the powerful/ rich man was unintentional.