May Titthara
Photo by: Mai Vireak
Heang Chheang is embraced by his son as he leaves the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh yesterday after being denied bail.
Heang Chheang is embraced by his son as he leaves the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh yesterday after being denied bail.
Phnom Penh Post
About 100 students from Phnom Penh International University wept outside the Supreme Court yesterday after a bail request from the institution’s rector and board chairman, who are accused of siphoning US$30 million from tycoon Kok An’s Anco company, was refused.
Despite the strength of their support, Supreme Court Judge Khem Pon did not allow husband and wife – rector Heng Chheang and chairman Tep Kolap – their freedom and upheld a previous decision from the Appeal Court. No reason was given publicly.
The couple were charged on July 4 with breach of trust after Kok An alleged they had stolen from him. Heng Chheang used to be the vice-president of Anco.
Speaking outside the court and carrying his youngest daughter, Heang Chheang alleged that the complaint had been filed without enough documentation to back it up. He asked for him or his wife to be released in order to care for their children. “It is very unjust for us,” he said.
Khieu Naroth, a fourth-year student at the university, said the group had turned up to show their support for the pair. She is convinced of their innocence and believes that “the people who did not do wrong were detained in jail”.
On August 17, Tep Kolab asked in a letter to the Ministry of Justice for it to form an independent committee tasked with auditing the finances of the tycoon’s company.
Kok An is as a senator from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and is owner of Anco – which distributes products such as Budweiser beer, 555 cigarettes and Evian water. He could not be reached for comment.
About 100 students from Phnom Penh International University wept outside the Supreme Court yesterday after a bail request from the institution’s rector and board chairman, who are accused of siphoning US$30 million from tycoon Kok An’s Anco company, was refused.
Despite the strength of their support, Supreme Court Judge Khem Pon did not allow husband and wife – rector Heng Chheang and chairman Tep Kolap – their freedom and upheld a previous decision from the Appeal Court. No reason was given publicly.
The couple were charged on July 4 with breach of trust after Kok An alleged they had stolen from him. Heng Chheang used to be the vice-president of Anco.
Speaking outside the court and carrying his youngest daughter, Heang Chheang alleged that the complaint had been filed without enough documentation to back it up. He asked for him or his wife to be released in order to care for their children. “It is very unjust for us,” he said.
Khieu Naroth, a fourth-year student at the university, said the group had turned up to show their support for the pair. She is convinced of their innocence and believes that “the people who did not do wrong were detained in jail”.
On August 17, Tep Kolab asked in a letter to the Ministry of Justice for it to form an independent committee tasked with auditing the finances of the tycoon’s company.
Kok An is as a senator from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and is owner of Anco – which distributes products such as Budweiser beer, 555 cigarettes and Evian water. He could not be reached for comment.
3 comments:
This is a civil suit not criminal. Can not arrest people without proof or scrutiny. But in Cambodia the court use their unlawfull power to arrest or take some one in custody. Even no eveident and no crime but they`re used to put people in jail, some case up to 1 year, if we don`t give them the money. Will our nation will become like a hell?? why government doesn`t show commitment to reform?.
So blind
It's scary to live in Cambodia, I felt very sad to see this happened to this family. You don't seem to be able to anything much, once they accused & put you in jail. Once again cambodia is one of the corruption country, this is how life go when you live in the corruption world, there will be no justice. This is a dog eat dog world..
My heart & pray go to this family, it's so sad to see this happens to them.
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