Pich Sros called to court to clarify Ley complaint

Cambodian Youth Party President Pich Sros stands outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday after being summonsed to provide details in a lawsuit filed against several activists. Photo supplied

15 Sep, 2017 - Yon Sineat

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Pich Sros, president of the Cambodian Youth Party (CYP), appeared before Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday for questioning over his complaint against activist monk But Buntenh, independent media advocate Pa Nguon Teang and labour rights activist Moeun Tola.

“The prosecutor called me in to ask questions, to expand more on my complaint and the purpose of my complaint,” Sros said outside of court yesterday.

The complaint stems from allegations that Buntenh, Nguon Teang and Tola embezzled money raised for the late Kem Ley’s funeral stupa, following the political analyst’s assassination.

“After the funeral and ceremony [the family] only had $4,000 to $5,000 ... Kem Ley got support from between two to three million people. Why don’t they have more money?” Sros added.

Tola, the director of NGO Central, denied any wrongdoing in handling funds to honour Ley.

“I don’t know who [Sros] is. He’s not involved in the funeral committee and he’s not a relative of Kem Ley,” Tola said.

“The committee only planned logistics and provided the idea to organise the funeral … We did not keep or receive donations,” he said, adding that he has not yet been contacted by the court.