‘Sokha’s Mistress’ Speaks Out

Khem Chandaraty, also known as Mon Srey, spoke to Khmer Times in Phnom Penh. KT/Chor Sokunthea

‘Sokha’s Mistress’ Speaks Out

Khmer Times/May Titthara Thursday, 10 March 2016 

The family of the woman involved in a purported sex scandal with CNRP acting president Kem Sokha went to rights group Adhoc for help in filing a complaint denying that the phone recordings published on Facebook had anything to do with their daughter, Khum Chandaraty – also known as Srey Mom – whose Facebook account name is Mon Srey.  

Ms. Chandaraty will answer questions at the Ministry of Interior concerning a defamation complaint filed by former CNRP activist Thy Sovantha, which was filed in regard to the recordings. 

According to the complaint sent to Adhoc on March 9, Sean Lon, the mother of Mr. Sokha’s alleged lover, said that on February 29 she knew about the publication of the alleged phone recordings and said they were fabricated by an anonymous person before being published on Facebook.

“Please, Mr. Adhoc President, help us by filing a complaint to deny all phone recordings that the anonymous person has been publishing secretly on media and on Facebook,” Mrs. Lon’s letter read.

In an interview with Khmer Times yesterday, Ms. Chandaraty denied she had a relationship with Mr. Sokha.

 

“I have been asking Adhoc to file a complaint in order to provide justice and give me back my innocent life. I want back my life as before – to go to work regularly in the morning. Today I live with shame and fear,” she said, adding that she did in fact know Mr. Sokha, but had only met him three or four months ago. He came as a costumer to her salon, but she never cut his hair herself, she only dyed it. 

“It wasn’t regularly, sometimes he called me in advance, sometimes it was his bodyguard who called me in advance telling me that Mr. Sokha should arrive soon. He asked me to find a barber for Mr. Sokha. I never said anything more than that. I don’t know where they could find that phone recording. I deny [being part of] such a phone recording. It’s not my voice,” Ms. Chandaraty said.

Regarding the defamation complaint filed by Ms. Sovanntha and signed by E Sokhy of the Anti-Terrorism Department, Ms. Chandaraty said she was anticipating being questioned so she could clear her name. She had been previously summoned for questioning, but did not show up out of fear for her safety. 

“I don’t know how to defame anyone, because I never said such things. I have never known Thy Sovantha. Why does she know me?” she said, adding that her entire family was now living in fear. 

After the scandal broke, her mother was unable to eat or drink and fell ill. Ms. Chandaraty is the only girl of her family’s four children.

“I could not defend myself at the beginning. I could not react because I was speechless. I was too shocked. Now, I will speak to claim back my innocence. I don’t want anything more than that,” Ms. Chandaraty said. 

Ms. Sovanntha said her complaint was not aimed specifically at Ms. Chandaraty, but was intended to get to the bottom of who made the recordings in the first place and who posted the defamatory comments about her on Facebook.

“On our Facebook page, the Truth CNRP, a man said that I bought a car, that I took money from the party fund to buy it and said I used the name of Mr. Kem Sokha’s daughter as my own, and posted pictures, causing confusion. But I’m not sure who wrote it and I will ask for clarification from Ms. Srey Mom tomorrow,” Ms. Sovanntha said.

Nay Vanda, the deputy president of the investigative team at Adhoc, said his organization is helping Ms. Chandaraty because she does not understand parts of Cambodian law.

“We provided her with lawyers because she was scared. So we fight each day by following the law,” said Mr. Vongda. 

As for the scandal, Mr. Sokha has not commented on it, but wrote on Facebook: “We don’t act following our feelings or impulses from other people. We have to stand firm not to dispute nor respond.”