Thursday, May 20, 2010

Villa owner files complaint after officials allegedly pillage home

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Photo by: Photo Supplied
Police search the Russey Keo district villa of Hang Borey earlier this month. Hang Borey said Wednesday that she had filed a complaint demanding compensation.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
by
Uong Ratana
Source: Phnom Penh Post

A RUSSEY Keo district resident has filed a complaint with Phnom Penh Municipal Court in an attempt to secure compensation after local authorities allegedly took millions of dollars’ worth of property from her villa in a raid conducted earlier this month.

Hang Borey said Wednesday that she had not named a defendant in her original complaint. She added, though, that she was planning to submit an additional complaint against Municipal Court Judge Suon Samnang and Deputy Prosecutor Hing Bunchea for allegedly ordering local authorities to enter her home without informing her first.

“I should be informed in advance before they go into my house and remove my property,” she said. “I have lost millions of dollars”.

Hang Borey said last week that her partner, Yors Sokuntheary, purchased the villa in 2007 from the brother of its Chinese owner, who was serving a jail term overseas. She added, however, that she had never received a land title or a deed to the property.

After the original owner returned to Cambodia, he took her to court in 2008 to get his property back, and the Supreme Court ruled in his favour earlier this year.

Suon Samnang said Wednesday that he had no knowledge of the case.

“I don’t know about this problem, and I did not issue the order to remove her property,” he said.

Hing Bunchea could not be reached for comment.

Sam Bunny, Russey Keo district police chief, said police had acted on a warrant issued by the Supreme Court.

“We just followed the court’s warrant,” he said. “I don’t have any further details on this.”

Shortly after the May 7 raid, Hang Borey said that US$60,000 in cash and $260,000 worth of jewellery had been removed from her home, along with $2 million worth of other property.

She said Wednesday that she had also been storing medicines in her house that were to be donated to volunteer doctors.

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