Former Police Chief Gets Another 18 Years in Jail

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
22 April 2008

Former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov was handed another 18 years in prison Tuesday, in continuing court proceedings against him.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued the sentence after finding Heng Pov guilty of conspiracy to commit murder earlier this year, in the 2005 attempted killing of state electricity company official Kim Daravuth.

Kim Daravuth was shot in the neck by gunmen following a dispute with Heng Pov over an electricity bill. He survived but is now paralyzed.

The court also handed 18-year sentences to Hang Vuthy, a former police officer for the municipal minor crime unit, who has since fled prison, and Am Samkheng, former police officer for the Ministry of Interior.

Judge Chay Kong, who presided over a three-judge panel, also ordered the men to pay $800,000 to the victim.

The court released suspect Prum Sophearith, who had been charged alongside Heng Pov.

The fallen police chief has been sentenced to a total of 58 years and six months so far, in a battery of cases against him, including guilty verdicts for murder, extortion, illegal weapons possession and kidnapping.

He still faces additional charges, including kidnapping and murder.

Kim Daravuth’s wife, Vong Nina, told reporters following the sentencing that the courts had provided “real justice” for her “long-suffering husband.”

“My husband did not sleep well last night before the decision was issued, because he is afraid of not having real justice,” she said.

Heng Pov’s lawyer, Kao Sopha, called the court’s decision “unjust” and “revenge between the court and Heng Pov.”

“In the past Heng Pov carried out the Iron Fist [corruption-fighting campaign] of Prime Minister Hun Sen, affecting court institutions, particularly the municipal court,” Kao Sopha said.

Heng Pov has one month to appeal.

Heng Pov had been a powerful member of Cambodia’s security apparatus, until he was accused of murder, fled the country and was extradited by Malaysia authorities in late 2006.

He has accused both Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Police Chief Hok Lundy of orchestrating numerous murders, a charge the two have denied as a bid for third-country asylum.

Heng Pov’s verdict to be announced on 22 April

Monday, April 21, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Koh Santepheap quoted an official from the Phnom Penh municipal court as saying that, on 22 April, the verdict for Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh city police commissioner, and his group will be announced. The court did not issue a verdict during Heng Pov’s court hearing held on 28 March. The verdict will be handed down in the accusation made against Heng Pov for his participation in the murder attempt on Kim Daravuth, the director of the EdC office branch in Chak Angre Krom. The shooting committed during the murder attempt left Kim Daravuth paralyzed. Kim Daravuth accused Heng Pov and his gang of planning the murder and he asked the court to deliver the maximum sentence on Heng Pov and his gang. It is not known how many additional years of prison term Heng Pov will receive from tomorrow’s verdict.

Heng Pov Defies Judge in Conspiracy Trial

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.

Fallen Police Chief Faces More Charges

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
27 March 2008

Jailed former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov is set to face Phnom Penh Muncipal Court Friday on charges of conspiracy to murder a state electric company official in 2005.

Elecricite du Cambodge branch officer Kim Daravuth was shot in the neck and paralyzed by gunmen following a dispute over an electricity bill with Heng Pov in mid-2005.

Heng Pov's lawyer, Kao Sopha, said Thursday there was no evidence linking the fallen police chief to the attempted killing.

"If we look over the legal documents by the police and the court, there is no evidence to punish Heng Pov," Kao Sopha said. "The court charges Heng Pov of conspiracy in connection with the murder, but no one confessed that Heng Pov is the one who ordered the killing. And the victim and witness haven't shown clearly who the [attempted] killers were."

"In this case, if we focus on the evidence, the court cannot punish Heng Pov," he said. "Although Heng Pov and Daravuth had a conflict, the court must find the evidence to charge Heng Pov."

Heng Pov was a powerful police official until he fled the country in 2006, when national police authorities issued a warrant for his arrest.

Heng Pov fled to Singapore and Malaysia, where he was seized by authorities and pled for asylum in a third country.

Malaysian authorities extradited Heng Pov to Cambodia in late 2006, but not before he wrote a letter accusing Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Police Chief Gen. Hok Lundy of ordering a 1997 grenade attack on Sam Rainsy Party supporters and the murder of popular singer Piseth Pilika.

He also accused both leaders of ordering the murder of Free Trade Union president Chea Vichea in 2004.

Hun Sen and Hok Lundy have denied the allegations as an asylum bid.

If convicted of ordering Kim Daravuth's shooting, Heng Pov faces an additional sentence of 10 years to life, to be added onto the 40 years and six months he is already serving for a battery of other crimes.

He has been found guilty of ordering the murder of Municipal Court judge Sok Sothamony in 2003, as well as possessing $400,000 in counterfeit bills and illegally detaining a suspect without trial.

He faces numerous additional criminal charges, including kidnapping, illegal detention, murder, and others.

Heng Pov’s court case scheduled for 28 March

A crippled Kim Daravuth is seen wheeled into the court room in January (Photo: Koh Santepheap)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The hearing for the court case for Heng Pov – the former Phnom Penh police commissioner who ordered 3 of his subordinates to shoot Kim Daravuth, the director of the EdC Chak Angre office, and crippled him until now – is scheduled on 28 March, after a delay of two months. The Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper reported that the accused in this case include Heng Pov whom the tribunal charge with collusion on murder attempt; Hang Vuthy, the other accused in this case, escaped from jail; Prum Sor Phearith, the former director of the light crimes office of the city of Phnom Penh; and Am Sam Kheng, aka Kong Sophal, the former crime police office of the Minitry of Interior. The latter three have been charged with murder attempt because of their involvements. The original hearing date was set on 28 January 2008, but, based on Heng Pov and his lawyer’s request, it was delayed to 28 March, two months later.

Heng Pov’s hearing delayed

Left: Heng Pov taken back to jail; Right: Kim Daravuth brought to court on wheelchair (Photo: Bunnak, Koh Santepheap newspaper)
Kim Daravuth pushed by his wife to the hearing (Photo: Bunnak, Koh Santepheap newspaper)
Heng Pov awaiting the heating, Kao Sopha (L), his lawyer, is sitting next to him (Photo: Bunnak, Koh Santepheap newspaper)

Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The court case about Heng Pov shooting Kim Daravuth, the director of the EdC branch in Chak Angre and crippling him until now, was delayed by the tribunal to another time, based on the request made by Heng Pov and his lawyer. On 28 January, Heng Pov was brought to the Phnom Penh municipal court, and Kim Daravuth, the victim, was also brought in by wheelchair by his relatives. During the hearing, Heng Pov asked to delay the court decision because he just found a new defense lawyer who did not have the chance to study his case, or to meet to discuss the case with him yet. Kim Daravuth was shot on 23 November 2005, when he went to fetch his child from the Chaktokmouk school. Unknown assailants shot him and crippled him until now.

Heng Pov’s hearing to be held on 28 January

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

After Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner, asked for a delay in his court hearing about the killing of a restaurant owner, because he was displeased with his usual defense lawyer, the Phnom Penh municipal court will hold a hearing on 28 January for Heng Pov, in yet a different court case. The Rasmei Kampuchea reported that the latest case involved the shooting committed by Heng Pov on Kim Daravuth, the director of the Chak Angre branch of Electricité du Cambodge (EdC), and crippling him. Rasmei Kampuchea reported that the court case on the shooting of Kim Daravuth was delayed once already when it was originally brought up in 28 August 2007, at that time, the court decided to delay the hearing to 28 January. Up until now, Heng Pov was sentenced on 4 court cases, and his jail sentence has accumulated to 40-year and 6-month. There are still a number of other pending cases that the court did not bring forth to decide yet.

Postponement of Heng Pov’s shooting case

Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The court case of Heng Pov’s shooting on Kim Daravuth, the former director of Electricite du Cambodge (EdC0 office branch in Chak Angre, which was originally planned for hearing on 28 August, has been postponed. According to the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, the postponement was due to Article 289 of the new criminal law which requires 3 judges to handle criminal cases. It was the reason why the Phnom Penh municipal court decided to postpone the hearing which was planned for 28 August. Up until now, the Phnom Penh municipal court has brought up 5 cases against Heng Pov, out of these cases, he is now sentenced to 40-year and 6-month of jail time.

Heng Pov will be in court one more time at the end of this month

Monday 13 August 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

According to the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner who is currently jailed in Prey Sar prison, will be brought to court one more time on 28 August 2007 regarding the lawsuit case in the shooting and killing of Kim Daravuth, a director of the Electricité du Cambodge branch in Chak Angre. The shooting permanently crippled Kim Daravuth. Regarding the case of the shooting of Kim Daravuth, the Phnom Penh municipal court has decided to charge Heng Pov and his accomplices for murder attempt, and it has decided to hold a hearing into the case on 28 August. Up until now, the court brought 5 criminal charges against Heng Pov, altogether, Heng Pov was sentenced to 40 years and 6 months of jail sentence, the remaining cases against Heng Pov are this murder attempt case, as well as a number of other cases which the court will bring out later. These cases will lengthen Heng Pov’s jail sentence, and he could possibly spend the remaining of his life in jail.