Ms. Sitanan submitted 177 pages Thai-Khmer and testified in front of the investigative judge

Ms. Sitanan submitted 177 pages Thai-Khmer and testified in front of the investigative judge confirming that Wanchalearm, her brother was in Phnom Penh and he was abducted on 4 June 2020

On 8 Dec 2020, Ms. Sitanan  Satsaksit, an elder sister of Mr. Wanchalearm as a civil party and the witness of the criminal case together with her Cambodian lawyer and her Thai- Khmer interpreter testified in front of the investigative judge of Phnom Penh Court. In addition, she handed over 177 documents Thai-Khmer language today. The criminal case stated that Mr. Wanchalearm was arbitrary detained by those who were armed. The investigative judge took one and a half hour between 9.00-10.20 questioning and listening to Ms. Sitanan’s statement.

This criminal case no. 4832 detailed that Mr. Wanchalearm was forced into the vehicle by armed persons in the middle of Phnom Penh capital of Cambodia between 16.45-16.54 on 4 June 2020. The crime incident happened in front of  Mekong Garden Condominium National Road 6 A, Sangkat Chroy Changvar, Khan Chroy Changvar, Phnom Penh, where Mr. Wanchalearm resided.

Ms. Sitanan further detailed the abduction in front of the investigative judge that she confirmed the evidence presented earlier to the Royal Prosecutor such as CCTV recording the incident where a dark blue Toyota Highlander drove pass at the time.  There are some witnesses mentioned that a group of perpetrators in black forced Mr. Wanchalearm into the vehicle and drove away. Also a CCTV recording two security guards of the condominium saw the abduction incident and backed off after seeing that the perpetrator(s) was armed.

Ms. Sitanan also submitted more photos, video clips, telephone evidence, bank account detail and passport detail confirming that Mr. Wanchalearm was residing here in Phnom Penh since he fleed from Thailand due to his political activism since the military coup in 2014. He resided in the condominium where the abduction happened.

Ms. Sitanan is also the eyewitness of this criminal case as she was talking on Line application with her younger brother and heard  loud noise. Then she heard her brother said “I could not breath” many times and heard some men speaking in Khmer for about 16 mins since her brother used Bluetooth. Later it was cut off and she tried to call back many times with no response.

“I am confident that all of these evidence presented to the investigative judge is sufficient enough to forward this case to the trial court for further investigation in order to know what happened to my brother, who are the alleged perpetrators, who are behind his notorious crime. Therefore, all wrongdoers will be trial at this Phnom Penh court and being punished” Ms. Sitanan said after left the judge room.

“however, I and my legal team will try to find more evidence as per requested by the judge and hand them over even we are no longer in Cambodia”

In addition, Ms. Sitanan disclosed that on 7 Dec 2020, she and her legal team from Thailand have met a high-ranking police officer in Phnom Penh as per the request letter to meet the Chief of Police Commission of Cambodia send on 30 Nov 2020. The aim of the visit to the police is that she wish to be informed more about the police investigation after 6 months of the incident, however, the police insisted that they have found no evidence neither Mr. Wanchalearm was here nor abducted here. The police would need the sister to send more evidence so they can conduct further investigation accordingly.

According to Cambodian Criminal Procedure code, if the investigative judge obtained sufficient evidence and decided to forward the case to the trial judge to charge the perpetrators. The case file shall be forward to the Royal Prosecutor and the accused person(s) will be trial at the Phnom Penh court.

More information

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