Two convicted for freeing smugglers

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A former military officer in Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit and a journalist were yesterday convicted of freeing two suspects accused of smuggling luxury timber. Lon Leng, 40, a former military captain, and Vong Samean, 32, a former reporter with the Samleng Sachak or “Voice of Truth” newspaper, were both handed prison terms for unlawful interference in state work and destroying evidence.
 

Mr. Leng was initially sentenced to 18 months, but the judge reduced his prison term to six months and said the rest of his sentence will be suspended.   Mr. Samean was sentenced to 12 months but will only serve four months in prison, with the remainder suspended. 

 

The offenses took place in January 2014 when the suspects drove to the Kampong Chhnang forestry administration’s holding unit to free two people who had been detained with a truck full of luxury timber. The accused timber smugglers were friends of the men. The suspects came at night in a convoy of about five cars with eight men and successfully freed the accused timber smugglers and their truck.

 

read more http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37417/two-convicted-for-freeing-smugglers/

 

 

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