Former Meachey district police chief Hy Narin has had corruption charges against him upheld by Phnom Penh Municipal Court after he allegedly misappropriated almost $700,000 from the state budget over eight years.

Narin was arrested last September on three charges of misappropriation of public funds, misappropriation by a civil servant and illegal exploitation of the national budget under Cambodia’s Anti-Corruption Law and Penal Code.

Court prosecutor Vong Bunpiseth said the 60-year-old former police chief had allegedly siphoned off $678,059 under eight different schemes.

“Based on the evidence and his [Narin’s] confessions, I shall uphold the charges against him and ask the judge to punish him according to the laws,” Bunpiseth said.

In hearings on March 25 and on Friday, Narin pleaded for clemency. While admitting to the allegations, he argued that as he had allegedly paid half the money to his subordinates, his sentence should be reduced.

“Regarding the money collected from ghost employees, inactive police officers and from gambling den or factory owners, I only received ... [about $2,500] per month,” he said. “But as for the money collected from other areas … I only received about half – the other half I gave to my deputy chiefs and other lower officers.”

Nach Try, Narin’s defence attorney, called on the judge to release his client as the courts had not made the prosecution within a five-year period as required under the Penal Code.

A verdict is due May 11.