Disgraced governor Pum Sophal (left) and Lim Danin, his former head of human resources, were sentenced to prison by the Kampong Chhnang provincial court on December 12 for their part in the illegal encroachment of protected flooded forest land. Supplied
Three men, including a disgraced former district governor, have received prison sentences for their involvement in the encroachment of state-owned flooded forest land around the Tonle Sap Lake.
.jpg)
Former Kampong Leng deputy district governor Pum Sophal, 59, former district head of human resources Lim Danin, 53, and Chuon Tom, 53, owner of the Trapang Pich ice factory, were sentenced by the Kampong Chhnang provincial court on December 12 for encroaching on approximately 9 hectares land.
According to a court statement, Danin and Tom each received a four-year prison sentence and were fined 10 million riel ($2,500) for their roles in illegally clearing flooded forest land in Ta Tum area, near Kang Keb village, in Kampong Leng district’s Chranouk commune, in March.
They were charged under Article 608 of the Criminal Code, Article 32 of the Anti-Corruption Law, and Article 98, Point 1 of the Fisheries Law.
The former governor was charged under Articles 29 and 608 of the Criminal Code, Article 32 of the Anti-Corruption Law, and Article 98, Point 1 of the Fisheries Law.
“Deputy district governor Pum Sophal was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 6 million riel ($1,500) for conspiring to destroy and clear flooded forest land in the same area, at the same time,” added the statement.
The three were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) in April for their part in the encroachment of the zone two land.
This not the first time the ACU has taken action against high-ranking officials for similar offending.
In 2021, the anti-corruption body sent Lieutenant Colonel Sum Socheat, deputy police chief of Kampong Chhnang province at the time, and his associate Keo Narun, head of the provincial police intervention office, for similar encroachment of zone three land in the same district.
Recently, the ACU announced that 176 individuals had illegally occupied nearly 40,000 hectares of flooded forest land in the Tonle Sap’s zones 2 and 3.
Of these, 152 people voluntarily returned 30,109 hectares to the state, while 24 others continued to illegally occupy 9,463 hectares. Some hold areas as large as 2,500 hectares and refuse to return the land.
The ACU is continuing to address the issue.
