Officials Arrested in Theft of $800,000 Meant for War Widows
By Saing Soenthrith
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Three government officials were arrested Friday evening accused of stealing around $800,000 of RCAF funds designated for distribution to the families of deceased soldiers, military police officials said Sunday.
Kroeng Vanna, an RCAF captain, and his brother-in-law Khim Bic, a customs officer at the Poipet border checkpoint, were apprehended by border police while trying to cross through to Thailand, said Roth Sreng, Banteay Meanchey provincial military police chief.
Military police also arrested Touch Vannarith, payroll chief of the national sub-commission for deceased soldiers, in Battambang town on suspicion of colluding with the two men to steal the cash, Roth Sreng said.
Kroeng Vanna was supposed to be transporting the money for 1,062 families in Military Region 5 from Phnom Penh to Battambang town, said National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha. Officials said the money was intended to be given as a final lump sum payment by RCAF to the families in the region, which covers Battambang, Pursat and Banteay Meanchey provinces as well as Pailin municipality.
But once in Battambang, Kroeng Vanna checked into a hotel and was met by Khim Bic who then drove the two to the Poipet checkpoint, Sao Sokha said. He added that the plan was for Khim Bic to use his position as a customs officer to facilitate the border crossing.
But before that could happen, officials in Battambang became alarmed by Kroeng Vanna's failure to arrive with the money, and alerted the border police, Sao Sokha said.
"I don't know what they were thinking," Sao Sokha said. "It is not easy to flee Cambodia—our police are too well-connected."
Touch Vannarith was arrested because, as head of the sub-commission, he is ultimately responsible for the money, Sao Sokha said.
Sao Sokha added that only $575,000 had been recovered from the two men in Poipet, and they were not sure what became of the remaining $225,000.
Prumb Sornthon, chief prosecutor at the Military Court in Phnom Penh, said that the three accused are currently being held in the capital and will be charged today.
Kroeng Vanna, an RCAF captain, and his brother-in-law Khim Bic, a customs officer at the Poipet border checkpoint, were apprehended by border police while trying to cross through to Thailand, said Roth Sreng, Banteay Meanchey provincial military police chief.
Military police also arrested Touch Vannarith, payroll chief of the national sub-commission for deceased soldiers, in Battambang town on suspicion of colluding with the two men to steal the cash, Roth Sreng said.
Kroeng Vanna was supposed to be transporting the money for 1,062 families in Military Region 5 from Phnom Penh to Battambang town, said National Military Police Commander Sao Sokha. Officials said the money was intended to be given as a final lump sum payment by RCAF to the families in the region, which covers Battambang, Pursat and Banteay Meanchey provinces as well as Pailin municipality.
But once in Battambang, Kroeng Vanna checked into a hotel and was met by Khim Bic who then drove the two to the Poipet checkpoint, Sao Sokha said. He added that the plan was for Khim Bic to use his position as a customs officer to facilitate the border crossing.
But before that could happen, officials in Battambang became alarmed by Kroeng Vanna's failure to arrive with the money, and alerted the border police, Sao Sokha said.
"I don't know what they were thinking," Sao Sokha said. "It is not easy to flee Cambodia—our police are too well-connected."
Touch Vannarith was arrested because, as head of the sub-commission, he is ultimately responsible for the money, Sao Sokha said.
Sao Sokha added that only $575,000 had been recovered from the two men in Poipet, and they were not sure what became of the remaining $225,000.
Prumb Sornthon, chief prosecutor at the Military Court in Phnom Penh, said that the three accused are currently being held in the capital and will be charged today.
4 comments:
They could not have stooped that low. It is a lot of money...
SiS
THese ceriminals should be sent to Poulavay Island for their crime to steal monies for others. They don't need to live with ordinary societ but a few in Koh Poulavay.
Hey Koh Poulavay can we put Hun Sen, Hock Landy too? they are inlaw so they can share a hut!
Oh! how about Krump Pret Ranarith too, he can stay under the hut!
This is how professional Ah Hun Sen and his CPP government work.
Money get personally delivery by hands and along the way $225,000 when into someone pocket? So come on Mr. Hun Sen what does your head of Anit-corrution commission do? did he put inplace anything to prevent this to re-occur?
oh those poor doner countries look where all your hard earn taxes gone to?
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