Government
Anti-corruption
Vathana ‘partner’ no fan of prime minister
A notorious fraudster with whom Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana allegedly had a business relationship has turned out to be a violent critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen. ...
Jack Davies
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/vathana-partner-no-fan-prime-minister
ACU to send officials to S. Korea to investigate ambassador case
The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) will send officials to South Korea next month to further investigate the case of former ambassador Suth Dina, who was arrested and detained at Prey Sar prison early last month on corruption charges. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24813/acu-to-send-officials-to-s--korea-to-investigate-ambassador-case/
Canberra embassy probed for 'duty-free abuse': report
Cambodia’s ambassador to Australia yesterday swiftly denied allegations of corruption amid reports the embassy is under investigation for links to an alleged alcohol and tobacco black market that took in roughly $200,000. ...
Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/canberra-embassy-probed-duty-free-abuse-report
Development council officer charged over bribery claim
An official at the Council for the Development of Cambodia was charged with bribery over the weekend after being arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), just weeks after the graft-fighting body arrested a Foreign Affairs Ministry official and the ambassador to South Korea. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/development-council-officer-charged-over-bribery-claim-112324/
Government calls rally against ACU an act of ‘rebellion’
The government on Sunday warned of a crackdown on activists and advocacy groups set to protest today against the recent arrests of four rights workers and an election official, calling the planned demonstration an act of “urban rebellion.” ...
Zsombor Peter and Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-calls-rally-against-acu-an-act-of-rebellion-112316/
Prime minister cuts port prices, starts graft probe
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday announced across-the-board cuts to the fees being charged by three of the state’s main logistics firms and ordered a probe into transport sector corruption, which he blamed for nearly half the industry’s expenses. ...
Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/pm-cuts-port-prices-starts-graft-probe-112013/
Government slammed for arrests of NGO officers
Four senior officials of local rights group Adhoc and a National Election Committee (NEC) official were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) on Thursday night over allegations that they instructed an alleged mistress of deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha to deny their affair. ...
Khy Sovuthy and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-slammed-for-arrests-of-ngo-officers-111973/
Fisheries officer held over graft allegations
A Fisheries Administration officer in Siem Reap was charged with accepting $369,000 in unofficial payoffs yesterday after being arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit on Tuesday. ...
Thik Kaliyann
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fisheries-officer-held-over-graft-allegations
Corruption czar’s sons appointed as assistants
Two sons of Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) Chairman Om Yentieng have been appointed as assistants to the government graft-fighting body, sparking accusations of nepotism within the very institution meant to stamp out such practices. ...
Khy Sovuthy and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/corruption-czars-sons-appointed-as-assistants-111794/
Rights group says Anti-Corruption Unit’s claims baseless
Adhoc president Thun Saray on Tuesday defended his rights group’s pro-bono legal representation of the alleged mistress of deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha, who last week rescinded her denials of the affair and accused Adhoc staff of convincing her to lie. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/rights-group-says-anti-corruption-units-claims-baseless-111795/
Yentieng shuts down query into envelopes
The head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, Om Yentieng, yesterday dismissed a request to explain the contents of envelopes he distributed to soldiers earlier this month by, in essence, declaring: we ask the questions, not you. ...
Lay Samean and Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/yentieng-shuts-down-query-envelopes
Offshore holdings are up for grabs, justice minister jokes
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana quipped over the weekend that anyone who can find his offshore financial holdings—revealed earlier this month as part of the “Panama Papers” leak—can keep the money, according to Information Minister Khieu Kanharith. ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/offshore-holdings-are-up-for-grabs-justice-minister-jokes-111464/
In Cambodia, calls for Panama papers probe
Civil society groups and anti-corruption experts have urged Cambodia’s government to open an investigation into why Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana was named in the so-called Panama Papers. ...
Neou Vannarin
http://www.voanews.com/content/cambodia-panama-papers-probe-justice-minister-ang-vong-vathana/3280296.html
Ambassador charged, jailed for vast corruption
Suth Dina, who rose through the ranks of the Foreign Ministry to become Cambodia’s top diplomat in South Korea in 2014, continued his fall from grace on Thursday as he was imprisoned on charges of corruption and abuse of power, according to his lawyer and ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ambassador-charged-jailed-for-vast-corruption-111000/
Suth Dina expected to appear in court today
The parents of Cambodia’s ambassador to South Korea, Suth Dina, yesterday made a public appeal to Prime Minister Hun Sen, as their son, who is accused of corruption, prepared to spend his third night in custody ahead of a likely court appearance this morning. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/suth-dina-expected-appear-court-today
South Korea envoy defended as graft probe continues
A relative of Cambodia’s ambassador to South Korea, who was detained on Monday amid a corruption probe, yesterday claimed the envoy was innocent, as the Anti-Corruption Unit reportedly prepared to send the case to court. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/south-korea-envoy-defended-graft-probe-continues
Foreign affairs bureau chief charged with embezzlement
A Foreign Affairs Ministry official arrested by anti-corruption authorities last week for taking bribes to process documents for a foreign company has been charged with embezzlement and sent to prison to await trial, officials said on Monday. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/foreign-affairs-bureau-chief-charged-with-embezzlement-110867/
Justice minister denies shares in shadowy offshore firm
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana had a stake in a shadowy offshore company in the British Virgin Islands, according to data made public on Sunday in what is being called the largest leak of secret documents in history. ...
Taylor O'Connell
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/justice-minister-denies-shares-in-offshore-firm-110852/
Ambassador to South Korea grilled over corruption
Cambodia’s ambassador to South Korea was summoned to appear before the Anti-Corruption Unit on Monday morning for questioning over allegations of corruption, and was expected to be arrested later in the day, the unit’s chief said. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ambassador-to-south-korea-grilled-over-corruption-110855/
Scammers pretend to be senior officials, threaten governors
The Ministry of Interior has ordered National Police to investigate a scam in which unidentified callers claimed to be senior officials at the ministry and the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) in an attempt to extort money from district governors, according to a letter issued on April ...
Chhorn Chansy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/scammers-pretend-to-be-senior-officials-threaten-governors-110794/
After attempted scam, ministry seeks secretary’s imposter
Police have started a countrywide manhunt after an anonymous caller attempted to extort money from district governors in Kampong Chhnang and Battambang while posing as Interior Ministry secretary of state Sak Sehta last month. On March 4 and then again on March 12, an anonymous caller ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/23532/after-attempted-scam--ministry-seeks-secretary---s-imposter/
Lack of transparency hinders budget progress
On Monday, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced a new phase of the Public Financial Management Reform Program, a donor-assisted initiative established in 2004 to bolster the country’s ability to soundly manage its budget. In a speech at the launch event, he touted the government’s progress ...
Tej Parikh and Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/lack-of-transparency-hinders-budget-progress-110437/
New job for principal accused of embezzlement
A high school director in Prey Veng province accused of embezzling thousands of dollars was transferred to a new position with the provincial government on Wednesday following a protest by students and teachers. ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/110400-110400/
Anti-graft body opens investigation into Sokha
The government’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) on Thursday announced it was launching an official investigation into allegations that deputy opposition leader Kem Sokha made unlawful land and apartment purchases for a mistress. ...
Kuch Naren
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/anti-graft-body-opens-investigation-into-sokha-110386/