Sources close to the court said judge Leang Sambath had ordered the
release without giving a reason for the decision.
14.08.2012
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
PHNOM PENH - Phnom Penh
Municipal Court on Tuesday released
four officials from the Ministry of Land Management on bail, after they
were charged with embezzling
some $2 million that was meant to go for housing
of retired soldiers and the poor.
Sareth Boramy, the ministry’s
deputy director-general; Pho Vuthy, director of its finance department;
Lay Tuyrithy, his deputy; and Meas Ey Sara, another employee of the
finance department, were arrested earlier this month after an
investigation by the government’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
Rights advocates say the release
is a sign the men may never see trial, while sources close to the case
say the suspects were released thanks to the influence of unnamed
higher-ranking officials.
Om Yentieng, head of the ACU,
said the authorities had followed procedures and he did not object to
the release of the suspects on bail. “I think the case will reach the
final court hearing,” he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment