Former Ambassador Questioned Over Graft Charge

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday continued its questioning of Cambodia’s former ambassador to South Korea, Suth Dina, though a trial date for the disgraced diplomat has yet to be set.

Mr. Dina, who assumed the ambassadorship in 2014, was arrested in April and charged with corruption and abuse of power three days later.

Suth Dina, the former ambassador to South Korea, climbs into a prison truck at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday. (Siv Channa/The Cambodia Daily)
Suth Dina, the former ambassador to South Korea, climbs into a prison truck at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday. (Siv Channa/The Cambodia Daily)

On Monday, court spokesman Ly Sophanna said Mr. Dina was brought in for additional questioning by Investigating Judge Leang Samnath, but declined to elaborate.

Judge Samnath could not be reached for comment. Mr. Dina’s lawyer, Ang Udom, said the judge questioned his client for about 2 1/2 hours to “verify existing information,” but also declined to go into detail.

Mr. Udom would not say whether Mr. Dina had confessed to the charges, but the former ambassador previously called the case against him an “injustice.”

The allegations against Mr. Dina include claims that he siphoned off compensation payments meant for deceased migrant workers in South Korea, demanded kickbacks to send money from migrant workers back to Cambodia and pocketed visa fees.

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