Phnom Penh: According to Cambodian media, a Belgian man appealed his sentence of life imprisonment and fined 80 million riel (approximately US$20,000) by the Phnom Penh Primary Court for drug trafficking to the Court of Appeal. On October 11, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal opened a hearing on the case.
The defendant is TANGUY EDDIE J TALLER, 37 years old.
The judge of the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal revealed that, after the interrogation of another defendant, named DAVID NOEL CATRY, a 34-year-old Belgian, Taller was sentenced in absentia. The police arrested the man in Bavet on October 14, 2018, as he attempted to escape to Vietnam. He was charged with drug trafficking at Phnom Penh International Airport on January 6, 2018. Subsequently, in accordance with Article 40 of the Drug Law, the Phnom Penh Primary Court sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment and fined 80 million riel for the crime of “trafficking in drugs”.
However, the defendant was dissatisfied with the judgment and appealed to the Court of Appeal on April 6, 2020, and requested the court to temporarily release himself because he has a 2-year-old child and elderly parents who need his support.
When appearing in court, the defendant denied the allegations made by the Phnom Penh Primary Court.
The Phnom Penh Court of Appeal has not yet announced the outcome.
DAVID NOEL M CATRY who was caught carrying 1003.24 grams of cocaine which was hidden in the back of his luggage remains in prison serving a life sentence.
