CNRP Vice President Kem Sokha, the acting opposition leader, has again been summoned to court, this time for failing to heed two summonses issued over the past month relating to a case involving his alleged mistress.
“I, Thann Leng, investigating judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, have received a case which charges Kem Sokha with refusal to appear on May 26 according to Article 538 of the Criminal Code, and he has to appear for questioning on [June] 14,” said the summons, dated Thursday.
The municipal court director said on Tuesday that an arrest warrant would be issued for Mr. Sokha for failing to appear in court.
However, an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Thursday that police may not enforce such a warrant if they believe Mr. Sokha’s arrest would spark violence.
Neither Mr. Leng nor Taing Sunlay, the court director, could be reached.
The CNRP took little time in saying that Mr. Sokha, who has been holed up at the party’s Phnom Penh headquarters since police attempted to arrest him on May 26, would ignore the latest court order.
“For the summons of Mr. Kem Sokha, he’s a lawmaker with immunity, so he will not go on the 14th,” CNRP spokesman Yem Ponhearith said.
