Court stands by term for bodyguard

Former Chea Sim bodyguard chief Chhoeun Chanthan exits the Supreme Court. Pha Lina

Tue, 10 October 2017

Kim Sarom

p

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a 15-year sentence for former three-star General and Chea Sim bodyguard Chheoun Chanthorn, who had been convicted for a raft of crimes, including embezzlement, weapons possession, breach of trust and forgery.

Chanthorn, who was arrested in 2011, was convicted of using a dead man’s identity to secure a high-ranking Royal Cambodian Armed Forces position and embezzling up to $2 million from the government, among other crimes.

He was given a 26-year sentence by a military court and another 10 years in a civilian case, with the military sentence reduced to 15 years by the Appeal Court, and the other sentence upheld.

While Chanthorn was not present in court yesterday, presiding Judge Kim Sathavy upheld the conviction and sentence, despite the plaintiff’s lawyer, Put Theavy, last week requesting that the military jail term be further reduced again, to 10 years.

“The decision of the Appeal Court to sentence the suspect to 15 years of imprisonment is correct. Therefore, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold the Appeal Court’s verdict,” Sathavy ruled.