The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the 2010 human trafficking conviction of the mother of legendary Cambodian kickboxer Ei Phouthang, ordering her to serve out the remainder of her 17-year prison sentence.

While the jail time would remain in place, said presiding judge Ngoun Im, the court would lower the amount of monetary compensation that Ath Onn, 59, had been ordered pay after being found guilty of cross-border human-trafficking offences committed in 2007.

“The Appeal Court has decided to uphold the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s verdict, but the compensation has been decreased from 60 million riel [about $15,000] to 15 million riel; everything else remains the same,” Im said. “The suspect can forward the case to the Supreme Court if the suspect disagrees with the decision.”

Continue reading:Trafficker to serve full term