A Change of Guard

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Friday 28 August 2009

Acquittal expected for Chea Ratha: attorney

Chea Ratha (R) with In Soklyda while they were having a love affair. When In Soklyda broke up the relationship, her aunt was acid attacked and she went into hiding.

Friday, 28 August 2009
By Meas Sokchea
Phnom Penh Post

A LAWYER representing former deputy chief of staff of the National Military Police Chea Ratha, who is suspected of involvement in an acid attack, said Thursday he expects his client will be exonerated by a Phnom Penh court in a verdict scheduled to be delivered on Monday.

Keo Ya said Phnom Penh Municipal Court should acquit Chea Ratha of charges stemming from the attack last year.

"I hope my client will be released on [Monday] because the court does not have enough proof against her," Keo Ya said.

"The prosecution has filed a complaint against her that only suspects her of involvement [in the incident]," he said, adding that Chea Ratha would likely return to Cambodia if the court ruled in her favour.

Keo Ya would not provide any information about Chea Ratha's current whereabouts.

Presiding Judge Din Sivuthy could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Chea Ratha is being tried in connection with an incident from May 2008 in which a Phnom Penh woman, Ya Soknim, was severely disfigured in an acid attack. Ya Soknim is the aunt of prominent beauty pageant contestant In Soklyda, who had a love affair with Chea Ratha.

Chea Ratha has admitted the love affair but denies any involvement in the acid attack.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to say but is that a woman in the photo or a man?? It looks like some young girl sat with an elderly relative.

'Not involved in the acid attack'. Surprise, surprise. I guess the young lady must have been pressured into numerous affairs with aging officials and then therefore it's impossible to say who was involved.

P.s. I thought beauty pageants were banned in Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

That old woman is a lesbian who had an affair with karaoke star In Soklyda. When she broke off the relationship she went into hiding and her aunt was attacked by acid. Several of Chea Ratha's bodyguards were arrested and they confessed that she ordered the acid attack on Soklyda's aunt because she blames the aunt for breaking up their relationship.