Photo by: HENG CHIVOANHeng Pov speaks to the Post at the Appeal Court on Wednesday.
The Phnom Penh Post
Written by Chrann Chamroeun
Thursday, 09 April 2009
Heng Pov says he is unable to pay lawyer's bills, while his defence lawyer says the postponement could facilitate an intervention by Hun Sen.
THE Appeal Court on Wednesday agreed to postpone the hearing of Heng Pov, Phnom Penh's former police chief, who is being tried for possession of counterfeit dollar bills, because Heng Pov cannot access the money needed to pay his lawyer, his defence lawyer Kav Soupha said.
A new hearing date has not yet been determined.
The presiding judge denied Heng Pov's request to access money from his bank account, citing that the decision to unfreeze the account remains with the Municipal Court, not the Appeal Court.
Heng Pov said he sent a letter to Chev Keng, president of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, and to Hun Sen requesting access to a Canadia Bank account containing nearly US$1 million.
"Please allow me to have a lawyer that I like and allow me to withdraw my money to pay for my lawyer's services. I have been already sentenced to almost 100 years for several crimes without a lawyer I like," Heng Pov told the Post, adding that in "every case the court seems to infringe on my freedom of speech ... and does not allow me to have a lawyer I like for my legal battles".
Kav Soupha requested the suspension because he hoped that Hun Sen would step in.
"I am waiting for an intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen to help Heng Pov withdraw his money to pay for his lawyer's services, his illness and his children to be able to go to school and to allow him to have a lawyer he likes," he said.
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