By Phann Ana
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Police are hunting for a member of staff at the Swiss Red Cross suspected of stealing $60,000 earmarked for an Asian Development Bank-funded health project in Takeo province, police said on Friday.
The organization's accountant Chan Bunthy, 43, withdrew the money from a Swiss Red Cross account at the Foreign Trade Bank in Phnom Penh on Thursday morning, Chamkar Mon district police Chief Uch Sokhon said.
Chan Bunthy visited an NGO office in Phnom Penh, leaving the money in the Red Cross vehicle with his colleague, logistic officer, Prak Dara, 37, but when he returned the car, the cash and logistic officer was gone, Uch Sokhon said.
The Red Cross vehicle was discovered abandoned around 30 minutes later on Street 360 with no sign of the money or Prak Dara.
"We are compiling documents seeking an arrest warrant from the court but we don't have enough [evidence] yet," said Uch Sokhon.
Contacted by telephone on Friday, Chan Bunthy said he doubted it would be difficult to find his missing colleague.
The Swiss Red Cross usually transfers the cash by bank from Phnom Penh to Takeo province, but because of high bank fees the project coordinator asked that the money be taken personally, Chan Bunthy said.
Mich Sambo, director of Kirivong district hospital, which was earmarked to receive some of the missing funds, said the incident would seriously affect staff and patients.
"Two districts under the ADB project will be seriously affected. The stolen money belonged to these projects," he said.
The organization's accountant Chan Bunthy, 43, withdrew the money from a Swiss Red Cross account at the Foreign Trade Bank in Phnom Penh on Thursday morning, Chamkar Mon district police Chief Uch Sokhon said.
Chan Bunthy visited an NGO office in Phnom Penh, leaving the money in the Red Cross vehicle with his colleague, logistic officer, Prak Dara, 37, but when he returned the car, the cash and logistic officer was gone, Uch Sokhon said.
The Red Cross vehicle was discovered abandoned around 30 minutes later on Street 360 with no sign of the money or Prak Dara.
"We are compiling documents seeking an arrest warrant from the court but we don't have enough [evidence] yet," said Uch Sokhon.
Contacted by telephone on Friday, Chan Bunthy said he doubted it would be difficult to find his missing colleague.
The Swiss Red Cross usually transfers the cash by bank from Phnom Penh to Takeo province, but because of high bank fees the project coordinator asked that the money be taken personally, Chan Bunthy said.
Mich Sambo, director of Kirivong district hospital, which was earmarked to receive some of the missing funds, said the incident would seriously affect staff and patients.
"Two districts under the ADB project will be seriously affected. The stolen money belonged to these projects," he said.
1 comment:
"The Swiss Red Cross usually transfers the cash by bank from Phnom Penh to Takeo province, but because of high bank fees the project coordinator asked that the money be taken personally, Chan Bunthy said."
To prevent high bank costs they decided to hand the money over to some common drivelling shyster. Ah, it's all beginning to make sense now...yap mane!
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