THE Appeal Court yesterday heard appeals from disgraced former police chief Heng Pov and his accomplices in relation to their convictions in two separate charges that date back to 2003, with Heng Pov requesting that the court merge all of his charges into one.

Heng Pov was sentenced in 2006 to 18 years in prison for masterminding the April 2003 slaying of Phnom Penh municipal judge Sok Sethamoni.

The court also handed down 16-year sentences to five police officers implicated in the murder; Ly Rasy, Prum Sophearith, Hang Vutha and Am Samkheng, as well as Hang Vuthy, who remains at large.

Heng Pov was also convicted in March of last year for the attempted murder in 2003 of military police official Sao Sokha, and received a further 18 years in prison. Ly Rasy received a 16-year sentence, while the other four received 15 years.

Since his 2006 arrest, he has been sentenced to nearly 100 years in prison on a raft of charges including extortion, kidnapping and murder.

Yesterday, Heng Pov denied involvement in both charges, claiming that he had never had any prior dispute with the judge.

In the case of Sao Sokha’s attempted murder, he said the conviction was based on an anonymous letter, which he claimed in court was an “invented story”.

Heng Pov later requested that the court merge 10 of his 16 charges, and that the court drop the remaining six.

Under Cambodian Law, if the charges are merged he will serve only the largest of the sentences he has received.

Judges said they would consider the request, and Presiding Judge Choun Sunleng said a verdict was set for December 2.