Australian targeted in abuse case + Orphanage worker fired

[geovalin]

Australian targeted in abuse case

Wed, 3 September 2014

Taing Vida

An Australian English teacher is being held by police after he was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing at least three boys aged between 5 and 11 years old.

Keo Thea, director of the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department, confirmed yesterday that the suspect, whom he did not name, was being held in police custody.

“Our police are still working on this case,” he said.

The suspect was reportedly arrested on Sunday morning while leaving his Phnom Penh apartment with two boys.

The alleged victims told police in subsequent interviews that the abuse had taken place.

The years-long investigation uncovered complicity of the boys’ families, whom Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) said received money from the suspect.

APLE said the man taught in a private school.

Police also discovered a laptop, two external hard drives, about 20 memory cards and three USB sticks in the suspect’s apartment, which were all seized by police as possible evidence. Children’s toys and clothes were also found there, police said.

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Orphanage worker fired

Wed, 3 September 2014

Sen David

Police are searching for a woman they allege abused children at the Ankar Sang Kros Chon Osh Sankhem orphanage in Pailin province.

Following an investigation yesterday into allegations of withheld food and beatings at the centre, police determined that 50-year-old contract worker Val Vary was responsible.

Sak Samoun, deputy chief of the Social Affairs Department in the province, said Vary had not provided enough food for the children, did not take them to hospital when they were ill and even beat them.

“We think that it is the fault of one person, so we do not have plans to close the centre, but we will file a compliant to the police to find the woman who escaped,” he said.

Vary lost her job at the orphanage after the allegations surfaced, police said, and has since fled the province.

Orphanage director Bun Lean Rin said that Vary worked there for two months as a babysitter, and when the allegations surfaced, “we sacked her”.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national