Governor Chhouk Bandith, the alleged shooter.
By Chhay Channyda
Phnom Penh Post
Buot Chenda,
21, is taken to a hospital after being shot by former Bavet town
governor Chhouk Bandith during a protest outside a Puma factory in
Kratie province earlier this year. Photograph: Derek Stout/Phnom Penh
Post
Two new witnesses have been summonsed in the case against former Bavet
town governor Chhouk Bandith, as the victims’ lawyer tries to prove he
intentionally shot three female protesters outside a shoe factory in
February.
Nouth Bopinnaroath, Svay Rieng provincial co-ordinator for the rights group Licadho,
said the “important” witnesses had been called by investigating judge
Pech Chhoeut to reassess the controversial charge of causing
unintentional injury handed to the former governor.
“The victims
were not happy when the prosecutor charged [Chhouk Bandith] with
[causing] unintentional injuries, so the investigating judge asked the
lawyers to find more evidence,” he said, adding they had been called for
questioning this Thursday.
“If it is unintentional, he should not have shot two or three times.”
The charge against Chhouk Bandith alleges he accidentally shot three workers
while trying to fire into the air at a protest of some 6,000 workers
outside the Kaoway Sports Ltd factory in Bavet town’s Manhattan Special
Economic Zone in February.
An arrest warrant has never been
issued for Chhouk Bandith despite the charge, which rights groups have
argued should have been attempted murder.
One witness, Un Sam
Onn, had been close to one of the victims, while the other, Sok Vuthy,
had tried to chase the perpetrator down after the shooting, Nouth
Bopinnaroath said.
Sok Vuthy said his family had urged him not
to appear for questioning because Chhouk Bandith remains at large and
could threaten his safety.
“I am worried my family will not
allow me to go. I want to find justice for the same workers,” he said.“I
ran after the shooter who was accompanied out of the factory by several
police officials.”
Un Sam Onn said she had not received the summons yet and could not comment.
Moeun
Tola, head of the labour program at the Cambodian Legal Education
Center, said the two witnesses could be more important than the 17
others thus far questioned.
“Actually, there are many witnesses
wanting to talk, but the suspect is still out of detention and has
freedom, so they cannot speak out. They are afraid for their own
safety,” he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Chhay Channyda at channyda.chhay@phnompenhpost.com
2 comments:
This scumbage of dirts should be putting to death for shooting unarm protesters why he still run around;where is justice for the victims?
តាមទស្សនៈពុទ្ធសាសនា !!???ជនដែលមាន
បារមីខ្ពស់ជននោះតែងទទួលការថែរក្សាគាំពារពីបារមីគ្រប់
គ្រា។ឯកឧត្តមឈូកទណ្ឌឹតពិតជាមានបារមីខ្ពស់មែន សូម្បី
អង្គការក្រៅរដ្ធាភិបាលនិងអ្នកការទូតថ្កោលទោសគាត់ក៏
ទសបារមីឬសហស្សសហស្សបារមីគាត់ការពារគាត់ជានិច្ច
និរន្តរ៍។ ខ្ញុំសូមជូនយោបល់ថាគណបក្សប្រជាជនគួររិះគិត
តាំងឯកឧត្តមឈូកទណ្ឌឹតជាបេក្ខជនសម្រាប់នាទីនាយក
រដ្ឌមន្ត្រីក្រោយសម្ដាចម៍ហ៊ុនណាល់មានព្រះជន្មាយុ៩០
ព្រះវស្សា!!!!!! ខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមទៀតថាបារមី
ឯកឧត្តមទណ្ឌឹតនឹងកាត់បន្ថយបារមីសម្ដាចន៍ហ៊ុនណាល់
ឱយនៅខ្លីត្រឹម១០ខែទៀតដើម្បីឯកឧត្តមទណ្ឌឹតបានថ្កើង
ថ្កានកាន់តែឆាប់ឡើង!!!
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