A female convict sentenced to 28 years for dealing drugs from within the capital’s PJ prison fainted as she was led from Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday.

Kuy Sreyleak, 32, who was already serving a five-year term on a 2014 drug-trafficking conviction, was convicted of helping move roughly 385 grams of methamphetamines, allegedly taking orders from an “African” drug supplier from behind bars, then facilitating their removal during visiting hours.

Sentenced alongside her to 15 years’ jail was 16-year-old former KTV worker Bun Sophorn, who prosecutors said had helped transfer the drugs out of the prison during visits with her boyfriend, Pon Samnieng. Samnieng, who remains at large, was sentenced to 28 years in absentia by judge Meng Tony.

Sophorn, who was arrested in June of last year while bringing drugs to undercover police, previously told the court she had visited Sreyleak twice in prison with Samnieng.

Sreyleak, who insisted no one had visited her “besides my relatives”, was convicted in part on the testimony of anti-drugs police officer Chea Sam Oeun, who said a secret agent working from within the prison had confirmed she was dealing.

A request by Ngan Touchsophorn, Sreyleak’s lawer, for the court to produce the agent was rejected.

Touchsophorn yesterday said he was “speechless” at the verdict. “There are a lot of suspicions in this case. There was no witness, only a police man who was not personally involved in the investigation,” he said before pledging to appeal.