Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

A MOTODOP yesterday denied raping a five-year-old girl after offering to buy her a treat at a school cake sale in Phnom Penh last year, as the child’s mother blasted him as “inhuman”.

Em Sokha, 27, is accused of raping the child in a school bathroom in Teuk Thla commune, Sen Sok district, last November.

The girl’s mother testified at Phom Penh Municipal Court yesterday that while she was at work, the motodop gave her daughter 500 riels (around US$0.13) and said he would take her to buy a cake at the school.

By the time they had arrived, she claimed, the school was empty and the bake sale had shut. She alleged that Em Sokha then raped her daughter in a toilet.

“He promised to drive my daughter to buy cake at the school, but he had brought her into the school’s bathroom and raped her,” she claimed.

“I think that this activity is the very worst and inhuman,” she said, while demanding 1 million riel (around US$250) in compensation.

Em Sokha denied all charges, but admitting he had touched the girl.

“I accepted that I brought her to school and went to the bathroom, but I did not rape her. I have touched her virgina only. Therefore, I would like to ask the court to reduce the sentence for me,” he said

Presiding judge Din Sivuthy said that rape was a “serious crime” and that a verdict was due on May 26.

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