The Supreme Court yesterday heard the appeal of a woman accused of dousing another woman with acid four years ago, with the prosecution seeking a weightier charge, and the defence maintaining that the accused hadn’t been present at all.

Victim Kong Touch, 50, told the court that in 2011 she had been walking to work in Tbong Khmum province’s Ponhea Krek district at about 4am when the defendant, Tep Kolab, 24, called out to her.

When Touch turned, she said, her headlamp fell on Kolab’s face just long enough for Touch to recognise him before the accused tossed a five-litre bucket of acid on her.

Kolab was sentenced to 10 years in prison for causing violence with strong acid in 2012, but the prosecution yesterday said the charge should be changed to attempted murder.

“I ask the court to seek justice for me since I lost my reputation and my sight forever,” Touch said.

However, Kolab said in a statement read in court that he had numerous witnesses supporting his alibi that he had not been at the scene.

His lawyer, Hai Sina, also questioned how Touch would have been able to identify her attacker in the dark, and asked that the charges be dropped. A verdict is due on July 22.