The Forestry Administration has filed suit against a forestry official for procuring and transporting illegal timber, in what is one of the first cases of an official being prosecuted for violating the 2002 forestry law, officials said Thursday.
Phan Pheary, former head of forestry for Sangke Sartob commune in Kompong Speu province, was questioned Thursday regarding charges leveled by Forestry Administration director Ty Sokhun, said provincial Prosecutor Ven Yoeun.
“[Forestry Administration Director] Ty Sokhun asked the court to take action against Pheary because he’s a forestry official but he does business in timber, which is contrary to a forestry officials’ duty,” Ven Yoeun said.
Rangers trained and supported by the NGO Conservation International confiscated a truck with 4.3 cubic meters of luxury timber driven by Phan Pheary on Feb 11 at Thpong Ranger Station in Kompong Speu’s Oral district.
Ty Sokhun could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Than Sarath, the administration’s deputy director of public affairs, confirmed that a suit had been filed but said he didn’t know when the trial would be. He said it was the first time an official had been taken to court under article 101 of the forestry law.
According to the law, a forestry official participating in illegal forest activities is subject to punishment of one to five years in prison and a fine of $2,500 to $25,000.
“A trial would set a very nice precedent,” Mike Davis of the forestry watchdog Global Witness said Thursday. “If it happened and was expedited and if it was open, it would be a great step forward.”
Prosecutor Ven Yoeun, however, said he would recommend that Phan Pheary is punished no further, as he was already fined more than $2,500 by the Forestry Administration and demoted.
