[Cambodia] ACU arrests three in graft cases

The Anti-Corruption Unit arrested two employees of Electricite du Cambodge in Mondulkiri, after they allegedly stole about $100,000 (400 million riel) from the electric utility.

Suot Sarim, an EdC office employee, and Ny Sophor, an EdC cashier assistant, were both arrested on Wednesday after ACU investigators allegedly found the two were forging documents in order to take money since January last year, Mondulkiri prosecutor Khut Sopheang said.

“They were charged on Thursday, and detained after [the] ACU discovered they exploited the state budget,†Sopheang said. In a separate case, Phy Rith, deputy director of Preah Sihanouk’s provincial Department of Customs and Excise, was arrested by ACU officials last week for allegedly overcharging people for property taxes and pocketing the money, according to provincial judge Nhem Visal.

Rith was arrested on Wednesday following an ACU investigation, Visal said.

Following the arrests last week, General Department of Taxation director Kong Vibol signed an announcement on Friday that requires all state enterprises to issue physical bills for all goods and services they provide to clients in the future.