For the second time in as many weeks, the Court of Appeal yesterday delayed a high-profile verdict announcement – this time for a former aide of Senate President Chea Sim - saying the case was too complicated to adjudicate in the allotted time.

Former chief bodyguard Lieutenant General Chhoeun Chanthan was sentenced last year to a total of 36 years in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court and Military Court on a raft of embezzlement, theft and breech of trust charges.

In late December, the Appeal Court heard both appeals at once.

Chanthan has largely maintained his innocence, saying he is guilty of little more than making poor business decisions when hiring contractors for large-scale Defence Ministry projects.  

His lawyers said they hoped the delay was in Chanthan’s favour.  

“I hope the judges will now have enough time to re-check and consider about his case, and will issue a very just and fair decision for my client,” Put Theavy told the Post yesterday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]