Military officer in prison for illegal property sales
THE Kandal Provincial Court sent military subregion operations commander Kim Sovann to prison for secretly selling the property of others.
Kandal Provincial court spokesman Tin Sochetra told The Post on Thursday that Sovann, 52, hails from Commune III, Phnom Penh, but most recently lived in Koki commune, in Kien Svay district.
“We sent Sovann to the Kandal provincial prison Wednesday. He was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for secretly selling the property of others at Banteay Dek commune, Kien Svay district in 2016 under Article 255 of Land Law.
“He was tried in criminal case number 183, dated May 26, 2018, at the Kandal Prov incia l Court,” he said.
Sovan has since contested the provincial decision and filed a complaint to the Appeal Court.
The Ministry of Interior’s Criminal Police Department chief, Ngeng Chou, confirmed that authorities had arrested Sovan.
“We carried out our duties according to the Kandal Provincial Court warrant. After we arrested him, we immediately sent him to the court,” he said.
Ka nda l prov i ncia l pol ic e ch ief Choeu r n Sochet s a id prov i ncia l aut hor it ie s d id not j oi n t he a r r e s t a s it wa s t he dut y of t he
Cr i mi na l Pol ic e Depa r t ment.
He said the military unit had asked to send him to the Military Court as he is a military officer, but the request was denied as the case was not related to military matters.
“The Ministry of National Defence has been informed that Sovan’s case has been dealt with at the provincial court as his crimes were carried out in his personal capacity and had nothing to do with his job in the military,” said Sochet.