Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Officials mum on swift sentencing of Hun Chea

Officials mum on swift sentencing of Hun Chea

Hun Chea, a lieutenant general and nephew to Prime Minister Hun Sen, leaves Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday. Hong Menea
Hun Chea, a lieutenant general and nephew to Prime Minister Hun Sen, leaves Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday. Hong Menea Hong Menea

Officials mum on swift sentencing of Hun Chea

Official remained tight-lipped on Thursday about the sudden arrest and snap trial of three-star General Hun Chea – nephew to the prime minister – who was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Wednesday over a shooting incident.

Numerous officials from the Interior Ministry and Phnom Penh Municipal Court either claimed no knowledge of, or redirected questions about, the incident on Thursday. Chea’s conviction came just hours after his arrest the day following the shooting.

Multiple local news outlets – including pro-government mouthpiece Fresh News and English-language daily Khmer Times – made no mention of Chea’s relation to Prime Minister Hun Sen in their coverage.

When asked about reports that the incident was a domestic argument with his wife, Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak directed questions to the court and hung up.

Ministry of Interior Penal Crime Chief Sok Khemarin, meanwhile, said he was in the UK and could not talk. Suy Kunthea, the head of administration at the ministry’s Penal Crime Department, said he did not have information about the case and directed questions to another ministry official who did not pick up his phone.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophana said he was “out of office” and deferred questions to another spokesman, Y Rin, who asked reporters to call a third court spokesman. That spokesman also did not pick up the phone.

When reached on Thursday, Judge Ros Piseth, who gave the verdict on Wednesday, said only the court “had enough to charge and sentence” Chea for making a death threat and damaging property. Asked who Chea’s lawyer was, Piseth hung up.

Chea – the son of the prime minister’s older brother Hun San – has had trouble with the law before. In 2002, Chea and his cousin, Hun To, were charged in a shootout that injured two people. Six years later, police refused to name Chea as the driver of an SUV that hit and killed a motorbike driver on Sothearos.

A man who identified himself as Chea’s younger brother eventually admitted Chea had been the driver. In 2010, the premier appealed to Chea to return to his family after he was publicly accused of cheating on his wife and using drugs.

A resident on the same street as Chea’s building in Psar Thmey I commune who declined to give his name said he had heard shots on Tuesday but did not dare to name the person involved.

“It’s not only me,” he said. “All the people on this corner know, but they do not say.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the