By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Meng Say, the former director of Phnom Penh's anti-human trafficking police bureau, was arrested, charged with extortion and jailed at Prey Sar prison Tuesday, officials said Wednesday.
Meng Say was officially removed from his position in January amid allegations that he had detained South Koreans in an attempt to extort money from them. He denied the allegation at the time. Investigating Judge Sao Meach confirmed the charges but declined to answer further questions; Chief Prosecutor Ouk Savuth answered his telephone but did not speak.
Mok Chito, chief of the Interior Ministry's penal police, said the case involved an attempt to extort $20,000 from six South Koreans Meng Say allegedly detained for 48 hours sometime last year. "They had organized a company for men who want to marry Khmer women," Mok Chito said. "It was a legal company with permission from the government. But they were arrested and kept for questioning for 48 hours," he said.
The money was allegedly transferred to disgraced former Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Heng Pov via minor crime deputy police chief Ly Rasy, said Mok Chito, a longtime Heng Pov rival. Ly Rasy was jailed in January for his alleged role in the killing of a woman in police custody.
Meng Say was arrested near his house in Phnom Penh's Dangkao district, Mok Chito added. "[Meng Say] was on the run and thought it was safe and came home," he said. He said he could not recall when the warrant for Meng Say's arrest was issued.
The person answering Meng Say's telephone Wednesday identified himself as his son, You San. He denied that his father had broken the law. "My father was never involved in anything," he said, adding that he did not know whether the arrest was part of a campaign against Heng Pov.
Heng Pov left Cambodia July 23 and is now wanted in connection with three attempted assassinations and the murder of Sok Sethamony, a Phnom Penh judge.
Meng Say was officially removed from his position in January amid allegations that he had detained South Koreans in an attempt to extort money from them. He denied the allegation at the time. Investigating Judge Sao Meach confirmed the charges but declined to answer further questions; Chief Prosecutor Ouk Savuth answered his telephone but did not speak.
Mok Chito, chief of the Interior Ministry's penal police, said the case involved an attempt to extort $20,000 from six South Koreans Meng Say allegedly detained for 48 hours sometime last year. "They had organized a company for men who want to marry Khmer women," Mok Chito said. "It was a legal company with permission from the government. But they were arrested and kept for questioning for 48 hours," he said.
The money was allegedly transferred to disgraced former Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Heng Pov via minor crime deputy police chief Ly Rasy, said Mok Chito, a longtime Heng Pov rival. Ly Rasy was jailed in January for his alleged role in the killing of a woman in police custody.
Meng Say was arrested near his house in Phnom Penh's Dangkao district, Mok Chito added. "[Meng Say] was on the run and thought it was safe and came home," he said. He said he could not recall when the warrant for Meng Say's arrest was issued.
The person answering Meng Say's telephone Wednesday identified himself as his son, You San. He denied that his father had broken the law. "My father was never involved in anything," he said, adding that he did not know whether the arrest was part of a campaign against Heng Pov.
Heng Pov left Cambodia July 23 and is now wanted in connection with three attempted assassinations and the murder of Sok Sethamony, a Phnom Penh judge.
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