The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has summoned SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua and her lawyer Kong Sam Onn to be questioned at the court on Wednesday concerning the defamation case brought against them by Prime Minister Hun Sen, officials said.
Ms Sochua said Sunday that she has received a summons to appear before the court on Wednesday morning to be questioned by Deputy Prosecutor Sok Roeun.
“I will go to the court. I don’t know that prosecutor’s questions yet. I didn’t defame him [the prime minister]; I repeated what he said about me,” she said.
Ms Sochua has her own case with the court accusing Mr Hun Sen of defaming her in an April speech.
The prime minister’s suit against Ms Sochua and Mr Sam Onn came in response to the lawsuit filed by the opposition lawmaker.
Mr Sam Onn also said he would go with his client to the court.
He added, however, that he was unsure whether the deputy prosecutor had summoned him in his capacity as Ms Sochua’s attorney or as a defendant in the prime minister’s lawsuit.
Mr Roeun confirmed he has summoned Ms Sochua and Mr Sam Onn but declined to elaborate.
Mr Sam Onn has also been invited to be questioned today by inspectors from the Cambodian Bar Association. The CBA initiated an investigation of the attorney after the prime minister’s lawyer complained to the bar, accusing Mr Sam Onn of unethical conduct.
Mr Sam Onn was supposed to be questioned by the panel of five inspectors last week, but that meeting was canceled after two inspectors failed to show up.
On Sunday, Mr Sam Onn said he would not submit himself to questioning because the CBA inspectors were given until May 25 to investigate and that deadline has passed.
“I won’t go if they don’t renew the inspectors’ mandate,” he said.
CBA President Chiv Songhak confirmed that the inspectors had asked to meet with Mr Sam Onn today.
“The mission hasn’t been completed yet; we will renew the inspector’s mandate,” he added.
