Two Phnom Penh economic police officers were charged with misappropriation of public funds Tuesday by the municipal court and placed in pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison, according to court staff.
Theng Ramy, a clerk for the court’s prosecution office, identified the charged officers as Sok Hak and Em Sophat. “The court charged them with misappropriation of public funds,” deputy municipal prosecutor Sok Roeun said.
An officer with the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) also at the court Tuesday, who declined to be named, said the ACU apprehended the pair on Saturday afternoon while they were taking money from someone outside the Phnom Penh Hotel on Monivong Boulevard.
The officer declined to identify either the person giving the money or the value of the payment.
The Criminal Code defines the misappropriation of public funds, exclusive to state employees, as taking duties or taxes that are not officially due or as improperly exempting duties or taxes.
ACU vice chairman Chhay Savuth and municipal economic police chief Pit Panha both declined to comment.
