Cambodia News,(Kampong Thom): On the morning of November 17, 2020, the Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie arrested Mr. Mao Bunthou, Director of Inter-sectoral Office of Kampong Thom Provincial Hall Director, in relation to the case of attempted murder by stabbing of Mr. Say Veasna, Deputy Prosecutor of Kampong Thom Provincial Court.

On November 16, 2020 at more than 9 pm, several high authorities from Kampong Thom provincial police, gendarmerie, and justice departments were eating dinner together at Pich Chenda Waterfall Restaurant; including Mr. Say Veasna, Deputy Prosecutor together with Mr. Hang Thol, Commander Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie, Mr. Khun Bun Ho, Deputy Commander of Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie, Mr. Prohm Veasna, Deputy Director of Kampong Thom Provincial Security Information Research Department, Li Yasin and Pream Hak .

At the same time, Mr. Mao Bunthou, Director of Inter-Sector Management, Kampong Thom Provincial Hall, was eating in the adjoining room on the east side of Pich Chenda Waterfall Restaurant. Later, Mr. Mao Bunthou, seeing that Mr. Say Veasna was present in the room next door, went in and tried to stab him to death with a knife. The perpetrator, after an unsuccessful action, behaved drunk and pretended not to know anything.


The back story is that Mr. Mao Bunthou was angry with the Deputy Prosecutor, Mr. Say Veasna, because, following the legal procedure, the deputy prosecutor ordered the halt and seizure of some illegal works and machinerie belonging to him, without seeking the permission of the provincial governor and the higher authorities. The two men have been sworn enemies ever since.

Mr. Sin Virak, Prosecutor of Kampong Thom Provincial Court, immediately went to the scene and ordered the Armed Forces to detain the perpetrator.

UPDATE: Appeal Denied

Cambodia News (Phnom Penh): On the morning of February 15, 2023, the Supreme Court confirmed the sentence of Mao Bunthur, a former officer of Kampong Thom Provincial Hall, for the attempted murder of the deputy prosecutor, Say Veasna, at Chrous Pich Chenda restaurant, in Balang Lech village, Sangkat Domrei Chankla, Steung Sen city, Kompong Thom province.

The defendent was sentenced to 10 years prison for attempting to murder the Deputy Prosecutor with a knife while he was eating at the restaurant on November 16, 2020. The cause of the unprovoked attack was a on-going feud between the two men.

Bunthur was first found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison and a 50-million riels fine on December 22, 2021. He has since appealed unsuccessfully to the Court of Appeal, and then to the Supreme Court of Phnom Penh.

Attempted Murder: The Final Appeal Verdict of the ex-Senior Official will be Announced on Thursday 27 July, 2023

July 25, 2023
Ex-official appeals against 10-year jail term
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea / Khmer Times
The Supreme Court yesterday heard the appeal case of a former senior government official sentenced to 10 years for attempted murder.

Mao Bunthou, 43, former chief of the Provincial Inter-sectoral Bureau in Kampong Thom province, yesterday made his final appeal to the Supreme Court.

Bunthou is accused of attempting to murder Say Veasna, 41, a deputy prosecutor at Kampong Thom provincial court.

The alleged crime was committed in 2020.

Prosecutor Duch Kimsorn said that Bunthou was sentenced on December 22, 2021 by the Siem Reap Provincial Court to 10 years in prison.

The provincial court also ordered him to pay 50 million riels ($12,500) in compensation to Veansa.

Kimsorn said that the accused appealed the sentence to the Battambang Appeal Court.

However, the court upheld his sentence on May 27 last year.

He added that the accused was arrested immediately after he grabbed the victim and attempted to stab him with a vegetable knife during a drink party at a restaurant in Stung Sen city in Kampong Thom province.

During the hearing, Bunthou denied the allegation of intent to kill.

However, he acknowledged that on the day of the incident, he drank too much. In his drunken rage, he grabbed the victim.

“I am a former government official. I know the laws and always have respected the laws. On that night, I did not beat or stab the victim,” Bunthou said.

He appealed to the Supreme Court to drop the charges against him and free him from prison.

Veansa was present in court yesterday and testified that months before the attack he was a deputy prosecutor responsible for leading a police team to crack down on Bunthou’s illegal logging business in Kampong Thom.

Veansa added that on the day of the incident he was invited by the Kampong Thom Provincial Governor to attend a dinner party at the Chruos Pech Chenda restaurant in Stung Sen city. He said that he happened to meet Bunthou there.

He said that soon after, Bunthou approached his table and grabbed him.

“He shouted that he wanted to take my blood and mix it with the wine to drink. He grabbed me and threatened me with a sharp vegetable knife,” Veansa said.

Veansa said that he was immediately rescued by other police officers and bodyguards who were eating dinner with him.

“I ask the Supreme Court to uphold his sentence so he will not be able to commit any cruelty like this again,” he added.

A verdict is due on Thursday.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501330244/ ... jail-term/