PHNOM PENH: The chief of Prek Khsach commune in Koh Kong province’s Kiri Sakor district, along with two associates, have been charged with accepting bribes and conspiring to organise or operate a technology-based scam centre, in cooperation with a Chinese national.
Commune chief Ream Rom was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) and has appeared before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, where he was charged with bribery, conspiracy to organise or operate a technology-based scam centre and money laundering.
According to the Phnom Penh Municipal Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson, Rom was charged under Article 32 of the Anti-Corruption Law, Articles 29 and 594 of the Criminal Code, Articles 6 and 9 of the Law on Countering Technology-based Fraud, and Article 38 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.
His two associates, identified as Chea Veasna and Chea Soth, also known as Meng, are facing the same charges. The court did not specify their positions or whether they held public office.
The three are accused of accepting payments from a Chinese national, Zhang Jian Qiang, also known as Cai You Yuan, and his associates, who have since fled the Kingdom. According to the prosecutor’s office, the Chinese were operating an online scam centre in the commune.
The scale of the scam centre, or the value of the alleged bribes, were not disclosed by the prosecutor.
Zhang and his associates have been charged in absentia.
The Post was unable to obtain comment from the ACU regarding the case.
Prek Khsach commune is considered a hotspot in the government’s crackdown on online scams, along with Dara Sakor and Cham Yeam.
Authorities raided several suspected scam operations in the three areas and have installed more than 50 surveillance cameras to monitor ongoing activities and ensure scam operations do not return, according to provincial authorities.
Koh Kong deputy governor Hak Leng reported on Sept 17 that, as part of the government’s ongoing campaign against online scams, authorities had arrested 733 foreign nationals of nine nationalities and seized large amounts of evidence linked to technology-based fraud offences.
Prime Minister Hun Manet this week drew a “red line” under scam offences.
He declared that all sub-national officials, from provincial governors down to local leaders, would be dismissed from their positions if they fail to act against scam operations within their jurisdictions. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
