Chinese Man Appeals 6 Year Kidnap Sentence

Phnom Penh: On September 14, four Chinese nationals claimed at the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal that they did not kidnap and blackmail two Chinese women staying in their apartment in Phnom Penh last year.

The prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal pointed out that the four Chinese who appealed were Zhou, Zhi, Zhang, and Fong. In yesterday’s trial, they called on the court to withdraw the charges against them and release them.

Zhou told the trial judge that on May 1st last year, he brought two Chinese women aged 25 and 28 from China to Phnom Penh for them to work in a Chinese restaurant. He was responsible for their travel expenses, food and accommodation expenses. .

He said that during the epidemic, the two Chinese women could not find jobs, so he let them live in his apartment temporarily. He emphasized that he prohibited them from leaving his apartment because they did not pay his expenses, but he did not deliberately imprison them illegally, as the court accused.

The Phnom Penh police raided the apartment involved in the case on June 30 last year, rescued two Chinese women and arrested four Chinese suspects on the spot.

The Phnom Penh Primary Court sentenced Zhou on March 19, 2021, and he was convicted of illegal imprisonment and extortion and was sentenced to 6 years in prison. The other three were temporarily released. Later, after police tracking and investigation, the three released Chinese nationals were reported as accomplices. They were arrested again and are currently being detained in prison awaiting trial.

The deputy prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal, Jesson, pointed out that the above-mentioned four Chinese imprisoned two Chinese women in their apartments, extorting US$30,000 from their families as a ransom for their release. Therefore, the court decided to charge the four Chinese with illegal imprisonment.

The court pointed out that the case will be pronounced on September 27. THNAOT