Khek Vandy, the husband of Princess Norodom Bopha Devi, has filed a lawsuit with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court against local tycoon Doung Chhiv, accusing him of failing to pay brokerage fees for land sold on the Chroy Changva peninsular in Russei Keo district.
Khek Vandy said in an interview Sunday that in November 1993 he purchased nearly 41 hectares of land on Mr Chhiv’s behalf in exchange for 45 percent of all money earned if any of that land was sold.
Since then, 8 hectares of the land has been sold, Mr Vandy said, but he hasn’t been paid.
“I should gain the benefit as stipulated in the contract,” he said, adding that according to current market value, he should receive approximately $18 million for the 8 hectares sold.
Mr Chhiv declined to comment on the lawsuit Sunday and referred questions to his wife, Sat Navy, who commissioned Mr Vandy to buy the land.
Mrs Navy confirmed that her husband entered into a contract with Mr Vandy, but claimed that after paying for the land in question, she discovered that all but 4 hectares of it was already owned by the government.
Money made from the sale of the remaining 4 hectares of land went to pay off the loans her husband took out to pay for the original 41 hectares, she added.
“It is better for [Mr Vandy] that I did not complain against him because he guided us to buy state land,” Mrs Navy said.
The Phnom Penh court is scheduled to hear the case Tuesday, according to a copy of the summons from the court.
