Phnom Penh Municipal Court has summoned the director of a Taiwanese mining company in Siem Reap province accused by its partner of committing fraud and breach of trust for questioning on Monday, the company’s lawyer said yesterday.
In turn, Cheng Tungko, director of Hong Tung Resource Co Ltd, alleges that his Cambodian partner, Nim Meng Group, has broken the terms of its contract by using police and military vehicles to export copper ore illegally through the Ream Naval Base in Preah Sihanouk province.
Hong Tung Resource plans on filing its complaints at the court imminently, said Kouy Thunna, the company’s lawyer.
“I don’t know yet whether my client can come and appear at the courthouse next week for questioning or not,” said Mr Thunna, adding that Mr Tungko was currently in China.
According to summons issued by the court, Mr Tungko is due in court on April 25.
Reached yesterday, deputy prosecutor Hing Sineang confirmed that Mr Tungko had been summoned to the court but declined to elaborate further.
Chea Sokchan, the lawyer for Nim Meng Group, which is owned by Lay Sineang, the wife of RCAF Major General Nim Meng, declined to provide any details about the case against Hong Tung Resource.
Hong Tung Resource and RCAF Major General Nim Meng agreed in December to form Nim Meng Sinohope Group Co Ltd to develop a copper mine. But Hong Tung Resource is now seeking to recoup $87 million in investment as well as $6 million in compensation and $3 million in allegedly unpaid loans to Nim Meng Group.
Environmentalists have said that case is emblematic of the close relationship between investors in Cambodia’s mining sector and the military. During a visit to Nim Meng Group’s mining site in February, reporters were confronted by soldiers armed with submachine guns and were immediately escorted off the premises. Villagers said they had received no information from local officials or the company with regard to the mine.
