Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday declined to adjourn the case of Cambodian opposition leader’s Sam Rainsy as per his lawyer’s request in a letter. The found the letter did not have enough evidence proving the necessity of his client’s mission overseas.
Sok Roeun, a one of the judges, said that the request was rejected because the letter had been sent to the court only on the same day Rainsy was to be summoned for questioning.
Chuong Choungy, Rainsy’s lawyer, said he rejected the court’s verdict as unfair as Rainsy was summoned on March 3, receiving the summons letter on March 4. On March 5, Rainsy sent a letter to his lawyer and then March 6, 7, and 8 was a public holiday, so that on March 9, he sent the letter asking for a postponement to questioning.
“The rejection was different from my previous clients’ cases, in which the court agreed to a delay before summoning for questioning a second or third time,” he told DAP News Cambodia on Tuesday.
Tith Sothea, an official at the Council of Ministers, said that the court will follow legal principles without pressure.
“The court will follow its legislative procedures. If the evidence is enough, the judge will send the case to prosecutors to investigate further so that no any person can pressure the court,” he told DAP News Cambodia.