Khmerican Lodges Sentence Appeal Over Swiss Man’s Death
Phnom Penh: A Cambodian-American deportee who was working as a gym teacher (teaching exercise according to music and song), requested the Judge of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal to commute his sentence after his conviction following the death of a Swiss man.
The request was made during his appeal hearing, which took place on August 5, 2021 at the Court of Appeal in Phnom Penh.
Lok Chumteav Chan Marina, presiding judge of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal, stated during the hearing that the accused was Sek Thuch, a 41-year-old male sports instructor who lived before his arrest at house number 140. Street 05, Sangkat Kraing Thnong, Khan Por Senchey, Phnom Penh.
The victim, Markus Zahner,a 69-year-old Swiss man, lived on Street 13, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh.
The judge stated that in this case, Sek Thuch was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on September 25, 2020 to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay 80 million riels in costs (almost $ 20,000) for intentional aggravated violence resulting in the death of a victim under Article 224 of the Penal Code of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
However, the accused sent his case to the Court of Appeal.
The accused was arrested on April 29, 2020, after he punched the victim, causing the victim to fall backwards and injure his head.
The victim later died at the hospital five days and six nights later from serious injuries.
During the trial, Sek Thuch admitted his guilt, but said he had no intention of killing the victim after punching him.
Sek Thuch said that the reason he punched the victim at that time was because the victim was angry and began an argument and struck his dog, which was playing with the victim’s dog in the riverside park.
Sek Thuch asked the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal to commute his sentence from 10 years to 7 years and to reduce the civil compensation to the victim’s family because he said he could not afford to pay.
The Court of Appeal will announce its verdict on the morning of August 28. CEN
