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The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has charged a commune chief and two police officers in connection with an online scam operation in Koh Kong province. Authorities allege the trio accepted $8,050 in bribes to help suspects evade law enforcement.
According to court spokesperson Peng Mengkong, the accused are Riem Rum, the chief of Prek Khsach commune, and Koh Kong provincial police officers Chea Vasna and Chea Soth. They were charged on Friday with multiple offenses, including bribery, complicity in operating an online scam, and money laundering.
If convicted, the three men face prison sentences ranging from seven to 15 years. A Chinese national identified as Zhang Jianqiang, who allegedly provided the bribe, has also been charged in absentia with the same offenses. Zhang and other members of the network remain at large.
The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) arrested the three officials on Thursday following an investigation into allegations that they facilitated the escape of scam network members. ACU spokesperson Soy Chanvichet stated that the case originated from a May 27 raid on an online scam site located on property owned by Riem Rum in Kiri Sakor district’s Prek Khsach commune.
While police successfully shut down the site during the operation, they were unable to apprehend any suspects. Approximately 30 individuals associated with the facility were evacuated before authorities arrived. The ACU alleges that the officials accepted $8,050 to assist in the suspects’ escape.
The ACU launched the investigation after receiving reports of irregular conduct from specialized police units. Chhit Ratana, a spokesperson for the Koh Kong provincial administration, confirmed that the provincial government was notified of the arrests but has not yet received further details regarding the ongoing judicial proceedings.
Article source: www.khmertimeskh.com | Image credit: www.khmertimeskh.com
