A man who volunteered at a Christian NGO that seeks to combat sex trafficking was found guilty yesterday by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court and jailed for three years for raping four former street children younger than 10 years old who were meant to be in his care.

Acting presiding Municipal Court judge Chhae Vireak said Sem Sam, also known as Dara, was guilty of abusing the four boys while they were staying at Agape International Missions centre in Russey Keo district in November and December 2013.

“Based on the hearing and [Sam’s] confession, the court has found that he is guilty. So the court has decided to convict him and sentence him to three years’ imprisonment and order him to pay four million riel [about $1,000] to the victims,” he said.

Sam said he would appeal.

“I think that the court’s decision was not right and I cannot accept it because in this case, the victims agreed to have sex with me voluntarily,” he said.