via CAAI News Media
Thursday, 25 March 2010 15:04 Cheang Sokha and Rann Reuy
Siem Reap Province
THE son of a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces commander was arrested and sent to Siem Reap provincial court on Wednesday – three years after the court convicted him in absentia of robbery and sentenced him to six years and six months behind bars, officials said.
Court prosecutor Ty Soveinthal said that Chea Sophal – the son of Chea Mon, the commander of RCAF’s Military Region 4 – had been arrested and was being held in Siem Reap provincial prison.
He added that Chea Sophal had asked that his case be retried, saying that he had been receiving military training in Vietnam at the time of his original trial.
“The accused person asked the court to rehear the case, saying the court decision was made without his presence,” Ty Soveinthal said.
The prosecutor declined to elaborate on the crimes of which Chea Sophal was convicted, but he said the court would conduct another investigation before setting a new trial date.
General Sao Sokha, RCAF’s deputy commander in chief, said Wednesday that Chea Mon had ordered the arrest of his son after being informed of the allegations against him. But officials could not explain why there had been a three-year delay between the original trial and Chea Sophal’s arrest on Wednesday.
“I did not know what crime [Chea Sophal] committed, but the court had issued an arrest warrant,” Sao Sokha said. “Our forces just implemented the order from the court.”
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