Defendant ‘too ill’

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court yesterday postponed a hearing against a former police official accused of killing a subordinate with poisoned beer, after he submitted a letter to the court stating that he was unable to answer questions due to his high blood pressure.

Neang Sokna, former deputy police chief of the Phnom Penh Minor Crimes Bureau, was charged in February with unintentional murder after 37-year-old Tim Satya, also of the bureau, died from the consumption of poisoned beer allegedly served by the accused. Four other police officials were hospitalised in the incident but eventually recovered.

Presiding judge Ker Sakhorn said the hearing would be postponed to an unspecified date in response to the request. Deputy court prosecutor Sok Roeun said Neang Sokna faces between one and three years in prison if found guilty.

In December of last year, Neang Sokna was also accused of pistol-whipping a 25-year-old mechanic in the head. Fifty witnesses thumbprinted a legal complaint against him.