A Cambodian People’s Party official has lodged a complaint with the National Assembly against two opposition lawmakers accusing them of using underhanded tactics to try and take land from two villagers in Kandal province.

Sok Sambath, a member of the CPP’s secretariat in Phnom Penh, claims CNRP parliamentarians Mao Monivann and Tok Vanchan attempted to cheat the alleged victims, Pork Sovanna and Kol Sophal, out of property in Ponhea Leu district’s Prek Taten commune.

According to Sambath’s complaint, which was leaked to local media yesterday, Vanchan bought a share in a property, with Sovanna and Sophal also receiving equal shares.

After purchasing the land, Vanchan allegedly took out a loan and gave some of the cash to Sovanna and Sophal.

According to the complaint, Vanchan then borrowed $130,000 from Monivann to repay the first loan, with the property used as collateral.

Six months later, Monivann allegedly demanded Sovanna and Sophal transfer their stakes in the property to him. The purported victims had allegedly received about $24,600 of the borrowed funds but had pledged to repay Monivann’s loan.

None of the parties could be reached yesterday to respond to or substantiate any of the allegations. Parliament spokesman Leng Peng Long said the assembly had not received the complaint.