Cambodian police are seeking to arrest the wife of Phnom Penh’s former police chief Heng Pov on suspicion of possessing counterfeit US currency, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak said he was informed on Tuesday that a warrant had been issued Feb 1 for Ngin Sotheavy.
Cambodia is also seeking Ngin Sotheavy’s deportation from Singapore for possession of the allegedly counterfeit $30,000 that police said they discovered in a July 31 raid on Heng Pov’s Kandal province villa, Khieu Sopheak said. He added that no other members of Heng Pov’s family are suspected of any crime.
Voice of America radio reported on its Web site Monday that in an interview, Ngin Sotheavy had denied the allegations against her.
Ngin Sotheavy claimed that the criminal allegations against her were an attempt to force an end to Heng Pov’s legal action against three Malaysian government officials over his deportation to Cambodia on Dec 21, VOA reported.
N Sivananthan, a Malaysian attorney representing Heng Pov, said Monday that Ngin Sotheavy is seeking asylum with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Khieu Sopheak reiterated Tuesday that there was no connection between the legal action in Malaysia and Cambodia’s decision to seek the arrest of Ngin Sotheavy.
“There is no link,” he said, referring further questions about the summons and arrest warrant to Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
Court Director Chiv Keng said he was too busy to speak to a reporter while Prosecutor Ouk Savouth declined to discuss the matter.
Deputy Prosecutor Kry Sok Y said he had given his approval for the arrest warrant, which was issued by an investigating judge last week. A summons for questioning was issued before the arrest warrant, he said before declining further comment.
Officials at the Singaporean Embassy could not be reached for comment.
