By Phorn Bopha

The Cambodia Daily, December 31, 2009

 

The Supreme Court yesterday heard the bail request of a 37-year-old Korean national who was arrested and charged in July with the rape of a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly drugged and delivered to him by a Cambodian couple.

 

Bong Hwan Yoo was charged on July 23, while Camboidans Theng Kimsreng, 35, and his wife Buth Vicheka, 25, were charged with “Unlawful removal without permission” and “conspiracy to rape”.

 

Supreme Court Prosecutor Phann Vannaroth argued on behalf of the stuspect, Mr. Hwan Yoo, saying that bail should be granted because the suspect was a foreigner and was backed by the Korean Embassy.

 

“The proposal of bail is correct as he is a foreigner,” Mr. Vannaroth said in the courtroom.

 

“The court has taken his passport and there is also a guarantee letter from the embassy that they would not issue him a new passport,” Mr. Vannaroth said, adding that Mr. Hwan Yoo was not a flight risk.

 

Mr. Hwan Yoo told the court through a translator that he wanted to be released on bail so that he could stay with his family, go to work and enjoy some freedoms.

 

Judge Khim Pon, chief of the five-judge panel, said the Appeal Court denied Mr. Hwan Yoo bail because it was afraid he would commit more crimes, intimidate the victim or witnesses or would not appear in court for his trial.

 

The victim’s lawyer, Noun Phanith, said that bail should not be granted because of the seriousness of the charges against the Korean.

“If we handle this improperly, we will ruin the law. [The Korean Embassy] guarantee [to appear in court] is not enough.”

 

The court said that it would announce its bail decision on Jan 6.