Upholding a previous in absentia conviction, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court handed down a 15-year prison sentence to Hang Vuthy, formerly the deputy chief of Phnom Penh’s serious crimes police and the right-hand man of disgraced ex-municipal police chief Heng Pov.

Vuthy – nicknamed Yumareach, or “the Chief of All Devils” for his tenacity as a cop – was being retried for the 2003 attempted murder of National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha, though his convictions in absentia included a host of other charges, including the assassination of a judge, which earned him more than 60 years in prison.

“Based on hearing, the court has found that the municipal court’s in absentia decision . . . accordance with law,” judge Top Chhunheng said.

At trial, Vuthy said that his confession was the product of torture, and yesterday he told reporters he would appeal the decision.