Keo Sary, the mother of fugitive Thong Sarath, is escorted by authorities into Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week after she allegedly violated her bail conditions. Heng Chivoan
The Anti-Corruption Unit will summon ousted Phnom Penh Municipal Court president Ang Maltey this week for questioning in connection with alleged bribes paid by the parents of a fugitive tycoon to secure their release on bail earlier this month.
Anti-Corruption Unit president Om Yentieng told reporters at ACU headquarters yesterday that he had launched a sweeping investigation into the release of Oknha Thong Sarath’s parents and had already questioned a number of individuals related to the case.
The announcement came as Prime Minister Hun Sen swatted away allegations that Maltey’s removal represented executive interference in the judiciary but simultaneously appeared to contest the very principle of separation of powers.
In a speech last Tuesday, the premier suggested a multi-million dollar bribe may have been paid to an unnamed judge to secure Thong Chamroeun and Keo Sary’s release on February 7 and called for the Justice Ministry to investigate.
Within hours, Maltey had been removed from his position by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, and municipal court judge Ly Sokleng, who granted the bail request, was placed under investigation.
But speaking at a graduation ceremony yesterday morning, Hun Sen said he had not abused his executive power, as has been alleged by some rights groups, opposition lawmakers and analysts.
“There are some people that said I did a good job, while some said I abused the power of the judiciary,” he said.
“I did not abuse the power. However, please examine these three powers – the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. They cannot be separated from each other.”
On Sunday, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights expressed concern that the Supreme Council of Magistracy’s decisions had been the result of executive interference.
A day later, Hun Sen warned NGOs not to overstep their role.
“Do not be too proud about yourself as NGOs, so that you step on the head of the executive,” he said.
Separately yesterday, Yentieng said the ACU had already questioned Sarath’s mother Keo Sary, “second wife” Teav Thyda, other family members and lawyer Ros Phalla in connection with the case.
Pich Prumhmony, the military general that allegedly acted as Maltey’s right-hand man at the Phnom Penh Court and was charged on Friday in connection with improper activities there, will also be questioned this week.
“This week, we need to meet two to three more people, including Pich Prumhmony and Ang Maltey,” Yentieng said.
“[They] must answer my questions over this problem. Questioning Pich Prumhmony and questioning Mr Ang Maltey is clearly in our plan and we already have questions [for them].”
The ACU is also investigating the bank accounts of Thong Sarath’s Meanchey Investment Company to check for irregular payments, Yentieng said.
Numerous court officials, however, have told the Post that Yentieng and Maltey have a historically close relationship. Yentieng, who visited Sarath’s parents personally in prison last Thursday, said he was busy in a meeting when contacted by phone.
Sarath is believed to be hiding out in Vietnam and has been accused of masterminding the November murder of Shimmex Group tycoon Ung Meng Cheu on Sihanouk Boulevard.
Sarath’s parents, Chamroeun and Sary, were charged with illegal weapons possession in early December and imprisoned. After being released on bail on February 7, they were caught en route to Vietnam on February 15, provoking Hun Sen’s tirade about the court’s decision.
Morn Keosovin, a lawyer for the couple, said yesterday that he questioned them in prison on Friday about the alleged bribe payment.
“They said they did not know anything about this alleged crime . . . I am trying to clarify this point. I am just following what they say,” he said.
Keosovin added, however, that the court’s decision to charge the pair with illegal weapons possession was misguided, because oknhas such as them need guns to “defend their houses”.
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ចំពោះបងប្អូនរួមជាតិជួយពិចារណា : ហេតុអ្វីហ៊ុនក្លាហានហ៊ានចាប់ ឧកញា៉ ថោង សារ៉ាត នឹងឪពុកម្ដាយ ? ហេតុអ្វីពួកគេសមា្លប់លោក អឺុង ម៉េងជឺ ទី ១ យើងក៏ដឹងហើយថា ហ៊ុន សែន គោរពយួនដុចព្រះ សុម្បីតែ យួនសំុទាននៅចិញ្ចើមថ្នល់ក៏ហ៊ុន សែនមិនដែលហា៊នប៉ះសាច់បន្តិច ផង ហ៊ុន សែនបានចាត់ទុកយួនដូចជាព្រះរដស់ខ្លួន ហេតុអ្វីដេញចាប់យួន ដែលជាឧត្ដមសេនីយ នឺងម្ដាយជាបុគ្គលិកក្នុងរដ្ឋភាហាក់ដូចជាដេញចាប់ ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរតូចតាចតាមចិញ្ចើមថ្នល់? ចម្លើយទី១:មានម្ដងពួកម៉ាកឧក ញ៉ាថោង សារ៉ាតបានបង្ហោះវីឌីអូដោយមានពាក្សរំព្ញកថោង សារ៉ាត កំុអោយជួយបក្សប្រឆំាងដោយថោងសារ៉ាតលង់ស្នេហ៏ជាមួយ កញ្ញា ធី សុវន្ឋា ដូច្នេះ ហាន់ណូយមិនអោយអ្នកណាម្នាក់ប្រឆាំងនឹងទ្រិស្ដីរបស់វា ហើយហ៊ុន វាគោរពចៅហ្វាយវាណាស់ វាសុខចិត្តសម្លាប់ឲ្យអស់ដើម្បីភ្គាប់ចិត្តចៅ ហ្វាយ ទី២: នេះជាឧបាយកលរបស់ហ៊ុន សែន បើវាសម្លាប់ខ្មែរតូចតាច មិនអាចចោទប្រកាន់ចាប់ ឧកញ៉ាបានទេ លុះត្រាតែថានៈជាឧត្ដមសេនីយ ឬក៏ទួនាទីជាឧកញ៉ា ទើបជាមូលហេតុ ចាប់អ្នកធំបាន ឯអ្នកតូចតាចគេសម្លប់ពីមុនមកដូចសត្វធាតុ មិនដែល ឬាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលរកយុត្តិឲ្យឡើយ ដូច្នេះវិលមកមើលបញ្ហាានេះកំុឲ្យពួកទមិលវាបោកបានមិនចេះចប់ សូមអរគុណ ។ ពីខ្ញំជាមនុស្សគ្មានបក្ស ប៉ុន្តែស្អប់អំពើរបោកប្រាស់ ។
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