Heng Pov asked to testify in the trial of Chea Vichea's murder

Heng Pov brought to court.

Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization

Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang, the alleged murderers of union leader Chea Vichea, has been summoned to reappear before the Appeal Court on 17th August. The pair had been jailed for the last six years but were released on bail after strong pressures from human right groups that they were wrongly convicted.

Mr. Chea Mony, the current union leader who is also the younger brother of Mr. Chea Vichea, has written a letter to the Appeal Court asking it to allow the jailed ex-Phnom Penh Police chief Heng Pov to testify in this new trial.

Heng Pov said before his arrest, after he had a fall out with Prime Minister Hun Sen, that Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were not the real murderers.

According to the Reaksmei Kampuchea newspaper, up until now the Appeal Court has not yet replied to Mr. Chea Mony's request.

Chea Vichea was shot dead in broad daylight in October 2003 at the time when Heng Pov was the Phnom Penh Police Commissioner. A few weeks later, Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were arrested and paraded in front of the international media. Human right groups and political observers believed that the pair were wrongly arrested and convicted.

Both men had always protested their innocence and after strong pressures from human right groups, they were released on bail earlier this year.