Takeo official accused of graft

The Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the head of the Takeo provincial social affairs department on Wednesday for allegedly embezzling about $110,000 of government funds.

Som Oum Monira, director of the social affairs department in Takeo, was arrested and sent to the provincial police station, and will be transferred to court today, a court official, who declined to be named, said yesterday.

Investigating deputy prosecutor Kin Sochetra could not be reached for comment.

This is the second arrest of an allegedly corrupt official in Takeo province since provincial official Sok Ranny was arrested by the ACU in January. Director of the provincial vocational training center, Ranny allegedly embezzled $310,000 from 18 teaching staff.

Last week, Kampong Cham Provincial Court sentenced Mang Yusreng, director of a district social affairs office, to three years in prison for pocketing the pension of 10 retired teachers.

“All the arrests of corrupt officials are applauded, but the government must also look into big scandals,” said San Chey, coordinator for the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific.

Chey noted that, no one was charged in the 2010 Global Fund scandal, which saw officials solicit bribes in exchange for government health contracts, and the larger Ministry of Social Affairs scandal in 2011 involving millions in misplaced funds that were logged as irregular expenses.

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