Authorities have slapped additional criminal charges on an important Taiwanese gangster in detention since July, court officials said yesterday.
Chen Chi-li (陳啟禮), the former leader of the Bamboo Union gang, was charged Tuesday with falsifying nationality documents and violating a car registration law, they said.
Chen allegedly had acquired a Cambodian diplomatic passport and traveled regularly in a vehicle with false diplomatic license plates.
He was arrested July 8 at his luxurious Phnom Penh residence and shortly after charged with illegally possessing weapons and involvement with organized crime. He faces between three and 15 years in prison on those charges.
Chen is one of Taiwan's most wanted criminals, Taiwanese police officials have said.
Chen was arrested after showing off his weapons cache to a Taiwanese television crew, who broadcast an interview with him.
Chen served six years in jail after being convicted of masterminding the 1984 murder of Chinese-American author Henry Liu (劉宜良), an opponent of the Taiwan government, in California.
Phnom Penh Court Investigating Judge Nop Sophon questioned Chen yesterday about the new allegations.
"We questioned him this morning because he faces additional charges about the diplomatic passport and license plates," Nop Sophon said, declining to give the suspect's response.
Court prosecutor Ngeth Sarath said important questions remain about the two new charges, which he said carried a penalty of between three and five years in jail.
"He's not a Cambodian, so how did he obtain one of our passports?" The prosecutor asked. "Where did he get it from? And who provided it to him?"
Under Cambodian law, Chen must be tried or released six months after his arrest, which would be Jan. 8. Both court officials said no court date had been set.
The judge maintained his court has not been intentionally delaying a trial but emphasized the case is complicated because it involves several government ministries.
Government insiders have said for months that prominent politicians had cooperated with the Taiwanese suspect, allowing him to operate in Cambodia.
Chen is a former adviser to Chea Sim, the president of Cambodia's ruling Cambodian People's Party and also the Senate chairman.
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