Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday charged two former bank employees with theft and the forgery of private documents for defrauding Acleda Bank of $45,000 in November 2009, a court official said yesterday.
Presiding Judge Suos Sam Ath said the court handed down two-year jail terms to former Acleda employee Yean Chet, 32, and his girlfriend, Weng Muoy, 28, a former employee of Canadia Bank. The pair was also ordered to repay what they stole and pay Acleda an additional 8 million riel- about $1,877- in compensation.
According to the judge, Mr Chet confessed to forging an Acleda bank book, while Ms Muoy confessed to using the forged book to withdraw cash from the bank’s Boeng Trabek commune branch in Phnom Penh’s Chamkar Mon district. Ms Muoy insisted during trial that she did not know the book contained forged information, he added.
After Thursday’s hearing, Judge Sam Ath said the panel of judges decided to change the original charge of robbery, which carries no minimum sentence, to theft, which carries a minimum sentence of one year, because Mr Chet did not accompany his girlfriend to the bank with the forged document. Judge Sam Ath declined to explain the logic of this decision, however.
He also said the pair was arrested Nov 26 and that they had spent the money on various items, including the purchase of a car.
Deputy Prosecutor Heang Sopheak said he agreed with both the charges and sentences, and that the defendants had not appealed.
Acleda Bank Director In Channy declined to comment on the case yesterday because he was busy and referred questions to bank lawyer Hun Sokheynaing, who could not be reached.
