Prison plea

A father of six who was jailed for two months after spending a few dollars on a stolen mobile phone will be released after his wife issued a dramatic plea for intervention, Preah Vihear military police commander Brigadier General Kong Sao Kun said yesterday.

The order to release Khem Sophal, 45, was given after an intervention by Provincial Governor Um Mara and four-star General Meas Sophea, he said.

The two were were attending a ceremony on Monday when Sophal’s wife ran in with her baby in arms, screaming for help from Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“With the intervention ... the prosecutor of Preah Vihear court has promised to release the accused, Khem Sophal, from prison this week,” he told the Post yesterday.

Khem Sophal, he added, was from Takeo but was work-ing as a scavenger in Preah Vihear province to support his family, whose already dire situation worsened when he was arrested in March for buying a stolen mobile phone from a thief.

According to deputy police chief Keo Chamroeun, Sophal also attacked two policemen when they tried to arrest him after the purchase.

Preah Vihear provincial court deputy prosecutor Sreng Vuthea said yesterday that he he has yet to receive an intervention letter for Khem Sophal’s release and that he remains in prison.