Two reporters at a small local newspaper were arrested Sunday in Phnom Penh after a businessman accused them of bribery, said Teap Kum, deputy police chief of Chamkar Mon district.
Nhem Bun Hout, editor of the Bakong newspaper, and a colleague were arrested after Nhem Bun Hout allegedly received a $500 bribe from Srey Sina, a representative of the Indochina Food Company, Teap Kum said.
Srey Sina told police his company gave $500 to the editor to stop Nhem Bun Hout from publishing a story about the company’s practices, police reports stated.
Srey Sina had reported the bribery attempt to police before the journalists collected the money, Teap Kum said.
The journalists were arrested at a restaurant where Srey Sina had arranged to meet and hand over the money.
The case will be sent to Municipal Court today.
This is the second time in recent months that journalists were arrested after bribery allegations.
In March, a journalist was arrested for trying to extort $150 from a nightclub owner in return for not publishing a photograph linked to an assault case.
