Trial begins in case of fraud
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The trial of a former journalist
and real estate company owner who is accused of cheating a land broker out of
more than $130,000 began yesterday in the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
accused of cheating more than $130,000
from a landlord, who is his business partner through buying the land and paying
in installments committed in 2019, in Kandal province’s Ang Snual district.
Court Judge Seng Leang identified
the accused as Meakh Samruol, 43, a former Sloek Rith TV Online reporter and owner
of World of Real Estate company living in Meanchey district’s Boeng Tumpon
commune.
Judge Leang identified the
plaintiff as Neth Pov, 65, a land broker living in Kandal province’s Ang Snuol
district’s Boeng Khnar commune.
He said that Samruol was charged
with “Breach of Trust” under Articles 391 and 392 of the Criminal Code and was
arrested on November 12, 2020.
The plaintiff told the court
yesterday that he sold nearly two hectares of land in Boeng Khnar commune’s
Tual Prich village for around $150,000 to Samruol on an 18-month installment
plan in May 2018.
Pov said that after three
months, he had only received around $10,000 from Samruol.
“When I rescinded the contract
with him and demanded my land back, he did not return the land back to me,” Pov
said. “He later forged the land document and took my land as his own until
today.”
Pov is demanding around $130,000 from Samrual, who claimed that he has already divided the land into 37 lots for sale.
The hearing will continue on March 3.
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