Cambodia's Top Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-Phnom Penh Police Chief

Cambodia's Supreme Court upheld Friday a conviction against disgraced former Phnom Penh police chief Heng Pov for conspiring to murder national military police commander Sao Sokha.

The verdict against Heng Pov, who is serving a nearly 100-year sentence for a slew of serious crimes, was announced after the court held a hearing earlier this month.

Heng Pov, once an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, was In 2009 sentenced to 16 years for being party to an unsuccessful conspiracy to kill Sao Sokha in 2003.

Heng Pov denied the charges after the verdict Friday.

He told reporters he would file complaints on the case to Cambodia's parliament, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, the national body that regulates the judiciary.

“I don't have any trust in the judicial system,” he said.

Heng Pov claimed that Ministry of Interior Central Security Director Mok Chito, who was his rival while he was police chief, fabricated evidence against him.

Mok Chito could not be immediately contacted to comment on the claim.

Reported by Tep Soravy for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.

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