A US citizen arrested in January shortly after military police shot at the US Embassy vehicle carrying him remains in T3 Prison, prison authorities and the embassy confirmed Wednesday.
Gansondara J Brewer, a Cambodian-American who owns a gold-mining concession in Ratanakkiri, has been in the central Phnom Penh prison for four months since he was jailed pending a fraud investigation.
He was involved in a business dispute with a woman who claimed he had refused to repay a loan. Brewer insists he has never met the woman. A Municipal Court judge ordered him detained while the case was investigated.
To date Brewer has not been charged and is still waiting a trial date. T3 Director Kuy Bunsorn said Wednesday Brewer can be legally detained for up to six months when he must face trial or be released under the law.
A US Embassy official said they were following Brewer’s case “with great care,” adding that any jailed US citizen would be monitored.
“It is the normal embassy role to observe and let the authorities know that we’re watching and that we are interested,” he said.
Brewer initially sought the help of the US Embassy one January morning when he claimed he was being threatened by soldiers. Military Police then fired on an embassy vehicle carrying Brewer and a colleague. Brewer’s lawyer declined to comment Wednesday on his client’s case.
