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Businessman Heng Sithy, who accused senior government officials and ruling party families of corruption and cybercrime, was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison on four criminal charges, with an NGO rights group calling for investigation into his claims.
Sithy was arrested at the Russian border in January last year and extradited to Cambodia following his allegations but an Interior Ministry spokesperson dismissed his arrest as having to do with the alleged defamation of government leaders.
He was charged with “blackmail” with aggravating circumstances, incitement to discriminate and public defamation, incitement to commit a felony, and intentional violence, according to RFI on Saturday.
Presiding judge Nhim Pisal declined to comment on the ruling as he was in a conference and referred questions to Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesperson Y Rin. The latter could not be reached for comment.
Recall that in November 2024, Phua Gek Seng, a Singaporean-Cambodian citizen, sued Sithy for defamation and extortion after the latter accused him of “running Cambodia’s largest online casino network, laundering money, and paying $5 million to National Police Commissioner Sar Thet to fabricate charges against him”.
Sithy, a real estate businessman whose honorary tycoon title or Oknha was revoked by the King in late December 2024, also accused several high-ranking officials of corruption and involvement in cybercrime.
He alleged that Kandal Provincial Governor Kuoch Chamroeun amassed “hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency” during his tenure as Preah Sihanouk governor from 2019 to 2024.
Sithy also implicated Interior Minister Sar Sokha and Phnom Penh Municipal Police Chief Chuon Narin with corruption. Additionally, he accused Hun To, a nephew of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, of embezzling $9 million from a Chinese investor seeking approval for a mining project.
In September 2023, a UN report stated that Cambodia had transitioned from being a source country for trafficking victims to becoming a destination for foreign victims. The report revealed that at least 100,000 individuals had been trafficked to Cambodia, where they were forced to participate in online scams.
Online scam centers have been reported in areas such as Preah Sihanouk, Phnom Penh, Kandal, Pursat, Koh Kong, Oddar Meanchey, Svay Rieng, Bavet, and within the Dara Sakor Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and the Henge Thmorda SEZ.
Chong Sovanny, Sithy’s father, who resigned from his position as Secretary of State of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, could not be reached for comment.
Operations director of NGO rights group Licadho Am Sam Ath said the court and relevant authorities should investigate Sithy’s allegations of government corruption to determine the truth before sentencing him.
He said Sithy made a series of allegations against many people, and further investigation was necessary to ensure transparency and integrity, especially if those accused are not involved.
Sous Vichearandy, Phnom Penh Court deputy secretariat, and spokesperson for the prosecution Plang Sophal, could not be reached for comment.
Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak, Kandal provincial governor Kuoch Chamroeun, Phnom Penh Municipal police chief Chuon Narin, and National Police chief Sar Thet were also not reachable at the time of publication.
