The Siem Reap Provincial Court on Monday charged three anti-economic crime police with the misappropriation of public funds for allegedly extorting money from illegal fishermen on the Tonle Sap river in Chi Kreng district, court officials said Wednesday.
“I charged the three police officials and we handed them to the investigating judge,” said provincial court prosecutor Koeut Vannareth.
Chheang Leangpoeu, 47, Ma Taya, 54, and Yim Thana, 33, were arrested on October 1 and sent to the Anti-Corruption Unit for questioning for allegedly demanding money from illegal fishermen to allow them to continue operating, Mr. Vannareth said.
Investigating Judge Hok Poeu said the three officers are in pretrial detention at the provincial prison, and face up to five years in jail if convicted.
Fishing on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers is prohibited from June 1 to October 30 every year to allow fish stocks to be replenished.
