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Biased investigation is merely a joke: judge


An investigating judge at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal denied ordering investigations biased against detained former Khmer Rouge leaders.

“I have never given orders to my investigators to prioritize the gathering of inculpatory over exculpatory evidence,” said Marcel Lemond in a statement submitted to the tribunal’s pre-trial chamber, a copy of which was obtained by VOA-Khmer on Monday.

In October, lawyers for the regime’s foreign minister, Ieng Sary, and former head of state, Khieu Samphan, accused the French co-investigating judge of being biased and asked to have him removed.

In the statement Lemond admitted that he might have joked about it in English at an informal meeting at his home.

“He said he was just joking but it was taken seriously. But if he doesn’t know English how can he joke?” said Sar Savan, a defense lawyer for Khieu Samphan.

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