The wife and sons of a brigadier general, imprisoned last December for holding the RCAF officer captive and torturing him for more than a month, will need some help from the Supreme Court if they hope not to serve out their terms.

The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s decision to jail the foursome for seven to eight years each on charges of cruelty and torture.

Judge Chuon Sunleng ruled that Ngin Chantrea Devi, 50, and her three sons – Panh Sihana, Panh Dararith and Panh An An – were indeed guilty of detaining Brigadier General Nuon Pak and subjecting him to a series of brutal beatings in a bid to force him to sell family property in Ratanakkiri worth $80,000.

Nuon Pak, who has since forgiven his captors and been outspoken in calling for their release, expressed a desire to reunite with his family and disappointment in yesterday’s verdict.

“To help my beloved wife and sons from being jailed in prison, I am now considering to appeal to the Supreme Court,” he told the Post, adding that he considered the case to be a domestic issue that was concluded.

Neither the four suspects, who have previously protested their innocence, nor their defence lawyer, could be reached for comment yesterday.

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