The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on August 2 sentenced former Khmer Rise Party (KRP) president Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung, better known as William Guang, and seven of his alleged accomplices to between six and nine years in prison in connection with the armed robbery of a celebrity lotion dealer.

The crime took place at the home of the victim, An Sieu Mey, in a gated community in the capital’s Por Sen Chey district last December.

Municipal court spokesman Y Rin told The Post that William Guang, 44, received nine years for aggravated theft, illegal possession of a firearm and forgery of public documents, under articles 353, 357, 490 and 629 of the Criminal Code.

Four of the seven accomplices were each sentenced to eight years in prison for aggravated theft and possession of a firearm, under articles 353, 357 and 490.

The remaining three received six years each for conspiracy to commit aggravated theft and forgery of public documents, under articles 29, 353, 357 and 629.

The judge also ordered them to jointly pay 200 million riel ($50,000) as compensation and $500,000 for “damages”, noting that they have the right to appeal the ruling.

The men wore police uniforms and used a forged court arrest warrant to commit the December 19 robbery.