A three-star police general and tycoon has unfurled a slew of corruption accusations against the country’s courts, a business associate and his family, saying he has reached out to senior government officials for help to no avail.
In two videos and a series of documents he posted to his Facebook page from late Monday through Tuesday, Duong Ngeap said he had been convicted of adultery and was being prosecuted for fraud — and that court judges had been “nasty” and “naughty.”
“I cannot tolerate it anymore and I’ve run out of money to give them,” Ngeap said in one video.
According to his videos, his troubles are a combination of a business deal with a Taiwanese associate and a separation from his wife and son.
His son, businessman Duong Chhay, was last year caught on video physically attacking his wife in their home.
The business deal was for building three factories and a borey gated housing community. Ngeap said the associate asked him to write him two checks for $3 million and $4 million to make potential partners believe they had money.
After a domestic dispute, he left his home, after which his wife took all his business documents, Ngeap said.
The associate asked to borrow $1.5 million, and his now-estranged wife pushed him to write a check for $1 million, he said. He alleged she took half.
“She lost it playing rain gambling,” Ngeap said of his wife.
Ngeap then faced a complaint of fraud, and the case escalated into a criminal case, he said.
“After they charged me, I begged the court to help me since I have never cheated anyone a single riel. But I would go to the court once, I would pay once. I go to the court once, I pay once. And they shared it with each other and diced me. Even though I wasn’t guilty I had to pay money — I have seen the way the court and judge work and maneuver — it was not OK.”
Justice Ministry spokesperson Chin Malin said he wasn’t aware of Ngeap’s allegations.
“Like all parties who believe they’ve suffered an injustice due to court irregularities, he can file [a complaint] to the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Council of Magistracy. If he has clear and strong grounds, they will investigate,” Malin said.
Ngeap continued in his videos that he had gone to government officials for help: first to Sry Thammarong, minister attached to the prime minister, who sympathized and took his letter to Hun Sen’s cabinet chief Hor Sothy; Sothy sent a letter to the Justice Ministry and asked an Appeal Court judge study the case.
He also went to Senate president Say Chhum, who told him to appeal to his own Interior Ministry; he was unable to meet Interior Minister Sar Kheng, but ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak got former Bar Association president Bun Hun to contact the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, according to Ngeap.
The first judge was “nasty” and “naughty,” and a new judge was brought in to handle his case. But he was still treated as conniving, he said.
“I followed them and walked by them — how much money do they want — I gave it to them but in the end they charged me,” Ngeap said.
Phnom Penh court spokesman Y Rin has not responded to questions.
Ngeap said he was already convicted of adultery and would be facing jail time and asked Hun Sen and his wife, Bun Rany, for forgiveness.
“I have suffered incomparable pain.”
