Court case

A BUDDHIST layman and a motodop were sentenced to nine years in prison yesterday for the rape of an underage 12-year-old girl in the capital last year.

Muong Bunly, 57, a Buddhist layman, and Leng Bunseng, 33, a motodup driver, have also been ordered to pay compensation to the victim, Phnom Penh Municipal Court presiding judge Din Sivuthy said yesterday.

“Muong Bunly is sentenced to nine years in jail and order to pay 6.4 million riel (about US$1,554) in compensation. Leng Bunseng is sentenced to nine years in jail and ordered to pay four million riel ($971) in compensation to the victim,” he said.

Muong Bunly was charged on December 8 last year after being arrested by police at his house in Khmuonh village in Sen Sok district’s Thmey commune, following a complaint from the victim’s family. Leng Bunseng was charged on December 9.

Sen Sok district police officer, Seng Bunny, said yesterday that the suspects claimed they had had sex with the girl repeatedly at a pagoda in Khmuonh village last year and paid her 10,000 riel (about $2.50) on each occasion.