Boeung Kak lake community activist Chheng Leap yesterday denied to prosecutors she had insulted or made death threats against former fellow activist Ly Mom, who fell out with the activists in 2012 after receiving a land title in a deal with the government.

Leap made the denial during questioning at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court over a 2012 complaint filed by Mom against six Boeung Kak activists – Tep Vanny, Heng Mom, Chheng Leap, Kong Chantha, Tol Sreypov and Nget Khun – for threatening her life.

According to Leap, the group had only ever visited Mom after she claimed they, too, had received land titles, and had never threatened her. Mom’s falling out with the residents came after she tried to persuade the others to take compensation and relocate.

“She said I cursed her and attempted to kill her, but I did not,” Leap told reporters outside court after the questioning session. “We just went to ask her.”

Chantha, who also attended court in solidarity with Leap, told reporters she had also been summonsed to appear next week, but was surprised as she had not visited Mom’s house on the day in question.