Four More Named in Fertilizer Embezzlement Scandal
An official from Battambang province’s department of agriculture who was charged last Monday with embezzling $200,000 from the illegal sale of fertilizer donated to the poor by Japan has implicated four other officials in the case, including the son of senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap, a court official said Sunday. Seng Ratanak, 38, deputy bureau chief of the provincial department of agriculture, is alleged to have profited from the sale of 500 tons of chemical fertilizer donated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and intended to be sold at a discount to poor local farmers. Mr. Ratanak confessed that he had sold the fertilizer at an inflated price and taken 800 million riel, or about $200,000 for himself, sending only 200 million riel, or about $50,000 to the Ministry of Commerce. He also alleged that four other government officials had shared in the spoils of the fertilizer sale, a court official said. … Provincial Agriculture department director Chhim Vicheara and Mr. Yeap’s son, Battambang deputy provincial governor Cheam Chansorphorn were among those implicated in the affair by the suspect, the deputy prosecutor said. Contacted Sunday, Mr. Vicheara denied the allegations against him. … Mr. Chansorphorn also denied any wrongdoing and claimed it was he who had informed police after becoming aware the suspect was pocketing money from selling the fertilizer. … Mean Lay, Battambang provincial minor crimes police bureau chief, said Sunday that it was likely Mr. Ratanak had well-placed accomplices due to the nature of the crime and the amount of money involved, but as yet he had not heard of any other suspects being named in the case. …
Eang Mengleng
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/four-more-named-in-fertilizer-embezzlement-scandal-41913/
