Meas Sokchea
Photo by: Pha Lina
Weapons allegedly found in the possession of Samuth Virak (pictured), former deputy director of the materials department at the Defence Ministry, were displayed yesterday at the military court in Phnom Penh.
The Royal Military Court yesterday began the trial of a general and four other soldiers charged with hiding illegal weapons, enlisting illegal soldiers and duping and inciting people to oppose authority.
General Samuth Virak [sometimes called Samith Virak], former Ministry of Defence deputy director, was arrested in January and stands accused as the mastermind of a criminal plan to operate an illegal armed force.
However, deputy prosecutor Mok Sieha dropped two of the four charges against Samuth Virak during yesterday’s proceedings. Samuth Virak now stands accused of imitating a three-star general and hiding illegal weapons, both offences under the Penal Code.
Samuth Virak’s defence lawyer, Nach Try, blocked the prosecutor’s claims in court yesterday, and said the cumulative offences were not enough to charge his client.
“The prosecutor cannot charge my client [with imitating a three-star general] because my client is displaying a three-star general uniform in his home,” Nach Try said.
“If that is the case, the prosecutor must go down to the spot where all the uniforms are sold at the Toekthla market [on Phnom Penh’s Russian Boulevard],” he said, adding that his client had the correct documentation to possess and use the weapons.
Samuth Virak also gave testimony to the military court.
“I have not acted illegally in society. They accused me by unjustly,” Samuth Virak said. “Please, Judge, find justice for me and release me to feed my children, wife and widow mother.”
“I dare to swear before the effective guardian spirit. If I have acted as accused – let me die,” he said.
1 comment:
It is a general consences growing that Cambodian cannot change power through election as you can see in this story; internal conflict has already begun inside CPP leadership. There is growing number of people wanting to see leadership change but very pessimistic about the change through election due to vote fraud and foriegner can vote for cambodian leader. I have also observe that opposition doesn't want to see bloodbath in order to change leadership, however throughout Cambodian history, we have alway went through bloodbath for leadership change. How can we prevent bloodbath again if PM Hun Sen want to rule over 90 years? The future of Cambodia doesn't smell good; I smell revolution brewing and it will come sooner than we anticipated because of poverty, inequality, jobless, corruptions, immigration problems, land grabing, etc. You cannot continue to rule by force like Pol Pot. Imagine during Pol Pot time, Khmer Rouge killed anybody that they suspected the enemy of the state. CPP will most likely face the same fate if it doesn't change it behavior. It doesn't matter how many people you kill; if people has no choice to live, they will fight to death. If you look at trend, there are many rich and powerful individuals continue to send their sons and daughter to foreign country not to visit but to stay. If Cambodia is a land of opportunity and good place to live if you have money, why send them to live abroad? These power and rich individuals know something will go down soon.
Post a Comment