Military police to discuss graft investigation results
THE disciplinar y council of t he National Militar y Police is to convene today to discuss t he results of a graf t investigation involv ing t hree prov incia l milita r y police commanders.
National Milita r y Police commander Sao Sok ha told The Post on Monday t hat the council would eva luate the findings and ta ke action accordingly.
“[ The commanders] will hear the investigation report and the [disciplinary council] will evaluate.
“If t hey are involved in corruption, we will ta ke disciplinar y actions in accordance wit h militar y rules,” he said.
National Military Police spokesman Eng Hy said on Thursday that the council had concluded its investigation into the corruption allegations involving the provincial military police’s top brass.
The investigation came af ter loca l media outlets reported earlier this month t hat Preah Vihear prov incia l militar y police commander Kang Sao Kun had allegedly embezzled about 80 million riel ($19,752) t hat belonged to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit chief Hing Bun Heang.
The money is said to have been from the July 29 national election campaign fund.
Meanwhile, Kampong Chhnang provincial military police commander Sak Sarang was alleged to have accepted bribes from illegal timber traders.
The report also accused Kampong Speu provincial military police commander Chuo Sarun of allegedly embezzling money and rice donated by Hun Many, the National Assembly member for the province, during the Senate and parliamentary elections in July.
Both Sao Kun and Sarang have denied the allegations, with the former claiming he would file a lawsuit against his accusers.
Sarang said: “I did not commit any acts of corruption. We will let the leaders conclude who is right and who is wrong.”
Affiliated Network for Social Accountability director San Chey said the investigation would not be effective in proving the commanders’ involvement in graft without the participation of the anticorruption unit.
“We cannot take a knife to cut ourselves. For officials in the military police or armed forces, the investigation would not be thorough as long as external parties participate,” he claimed.