The Phnom Penh Municipal Court recently dismissed charges against two foreign gamblers who were accused of cheating the Naga floating casino out of more than $2 million, according to court documents.
The documents, dated July 7 and signed by Investigating Judge Tan Senarong, state that Naga’s accusations that the two gamblers swindled the money in a game at the casino have no basis.
A letter signed by National Police Director General Hok Lundy and dated July 4 also states that neither the National Police nor the Municipal Court found the gamblers—Kuk Po Shun of Hong Kong and Darwin Liman of Indonesia—guilty of fraud and ordered that their winnings be paid.
“The Director General of National Police has specialized officers ready to assist both parties for effective payment reconciliation,” the letter concludes.
Hok Lundy on Wednesday referred questions about his involvement in the case to Sok Phal, chief of the Interior Ministry’s Central Security Department. Sok Phal referred the questions back to Hok Lundy. None were answered.
According to a news release “submitted by Mr Richard Lim (Darwin Liman) & Associates,” Naga’s Malaysian owner, Tan Sri Dato Chen Lip Keong, still refuses to pay.
But a congratulatory note on Naga Resorts letterhead dated April 28 and addressed to the two high rollers reads: “Your full banking details are received by us on late Friday 25 April. We have the pleasure” to transfer $2,095,656 “from our Singapore account to Mr Kuk’s bank account in Hong Kong. The amount is the winnings of your group from 23 to 25 April.”
The note was signed by Chief Operating Officer Tian Toh Seng.
The casino’s management referred questions to their attorney in Singapore.
A man who identified himself as “Wong” of the Rajah and Tann law firm telephoned The Cambodia Daily and said that Naga has appealed Tan Senarong’s ruling. He said he did not know when the case will be tried again, but the casino will withhold its payout pending that ruling.
According to Wong, Kuk Po Shun and Darwin Liman were in a party of about 20 who gambled at Naga in April. He said that the casino had good reason to believe that “members of that group resorted to cheating and tricks,” but he did not know the details.
