Health Woes Speed Fraud Appeal
After calls from their lawyers late last month to speed up the appeals process, three former advisers to Senate President Chea Sim convicted of fraud last year will appear before the Appeals Court on November 7, court deputy prosecutor Tan Senarong said yesterday. The three defendants – Pheng Kunthea Borey, Ponlork Ho and Khieu Bora – were first convicted last year for creating fake infrastructure and humanitarian contracts in order to take hefty commissions from foreign investments. Recently, however, worsening health problems have led their attorneys to call for hastier appeals, fearing that the trio may be unable to attend their own appeals if proceedings are delaying too long. Thong Chan Rithy, Ponlork Ho’s defence lawyer, said he had received the summons, but even November 7 might be too late. …
