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| A smiling Chhouk Bandith (centre) leaves the Appeal Court in Phnom Penh yesterday. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post |
01 March 2013
By May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post
“Among those police, only one has said the true story; the rest have taken Chhouk Bandith’s side.”
After two days and dozens of testimonies, hearings concerning the case of former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith concluded yesterday afternoon at the Court of Appeal.
On Monday, judges will announce whether Bandith should in fact be charged for the February 2012 shooting of three garment workers during a violent protest at a Svay Rieng special economic zone.
Charges of causing unintentional injury were dropped against the former governor in December after months of feet-dragging by the prosecutor and investigating judge. Amid public outcry, an Appeal Court prosecutor called for a re-investigation.
During the two days of hearings, Bandith – who was fingered by none other than Interior Minister Sar Kheng in the shooting’s immediate aftermath – appeared the picture of confidence. Yesterday, he arrived 45 minutes late, took a seat and began furiously scribbling in a small notebook. A smile remained on his face for most of the proceedings.
Nearly all of the witnesses called supported Bandith’s testimony, according to rights monitors and the victims, who attended the hearing, which was closed to outsiders. The single exception was Long Phorn, Prasat commune deputy police chief.
Speaking to reporters after giving his eyewitness account,Phorn said he challenged Bandith in court with his testimony. “I confronted Chhouk Bandith, telling him he is the one that shot the workers. But Bandith just asked me how I was able to see it so clearly,” he said.
Phorn said he was just seven metres away from Bandith when the shooting took place.
“He did not shoot into the air,” he said, before he was hustled into his car by fellow officers.
Keo Near, 19, one of the three victims shot that day, said Phorn provided the sole implicating testimony.
“Among those police, only one has said the true story; the rest have taken Chhouk Bandith’s side.”
According to Buot Chenda, 21, who was shot in the lung during the February incident, Bandith maintained throughout the hearings that he shot only in the air.
“I am without hope this evening, because Bandith’s lawyer asked that the court uphold the Svay Rieng court decision,” she said.
Rights workers said it was hardly surprising so few witnesses had stepped forward to counter Bandith’s claim.
In their own investigation, the Community Legal Education Centre were able to find three or four direct eye-witnesses and another 20 who had relevant information, labour program head Moeun Tola said.
After learning how powerful the suspect was, however, “they did not dare to talk”.
7 comments:
This band of bandit in Xmer Land. He came 45 minute late, it means he insulted the justice system. In the west countries obeying the justice he must punished too, but Cambodia is the country with theater justice how can the poor people find the justice? Under such justice system, ONLY the poor people and powerless people are the real loser.
ដើម្បីគឺថា!! គឺថា វាត្រូវជាក្មួយបង្កើតរបស់
មី មែន សំអន រឿងអីត្រូវដាក់ទោសអញ!
ហា!!!!!!
AH CRIMINAL YOU BELONG IN A CAGE AH KOK
kill him fuccking dog...
ស្វាមួយក្បាលចូលចិត្តមើលរឿងអាសអាភាស
នេះគឺជារឿងដ៏ចំលែកមួយដែលសត្វស្វាមួយក្បាល ចូលចិត្តមើលតែរឿងអាសអាភាស ក្រោយពីបុគ្គលិកសួនសត្វ Seville បានដំឡើងទូរទស្សន៍អោយសត្វស្វានោះមើល។ ដើម្បីបង្កើនបរិយាកាសអោយកាន់តែ សប្បាយរីករាយសំរាប់សត្វស្វា Gina បុគ្គលិកសួនសត្វបានសំរេចចិត្តដំឡើងទូរទស្សន៍មួយគ្រឿងក្នុងទ្រុងជាមួយនឹង Remote Control ដើម្បីអោយស្វា Gina ប្តូរប៉ុស្តិ៍ដែលវាចូលចិត្ត។ ប៉ុន្មានថ្ងៃក្រោយមក ស្វា Gina ចេះបានប្រើ Remote Control ប្តូរប៉ុស្តិ៍ ហើយមើលតែរឿងអាសអាភាស មិនព្រមប្តូរប៉ុស្តិ៍ទេ ដែលនេះធ្វើអោយមនុស្សក្នុងសួនសត្វនោះមានការភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលយ៉ាងខ្លាំង។
Check the cameras; cameras don't lie.
No body bothers to compare the bullets trajectory to this guy's claim that he shot into the air. This court system is just like kids playing "by lock by lor".
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