Land dispute

Awell-known community representative who has long battled alleged land-grabbing by economic land concessionaire Pheapimex Group was arrested on fraud accusations and jailed in Pursat province’s Krakor district yesterday.  

Fellow community representative Lun Sivy, 42, said Kuch Veng, a member of the Cambodian Peace Network, was arrested in the forest at about 9am by commune and district police officials.

“He borrowed someone’s phone to tell me that he already had been arrested and accused of fraud. He saw the arrest warrant when he was in the car,” she said.

Sivy said Veng had never committed any crime and that 200 community members would demand an explanation for his arrest at court tomorrow.

Bin Vanna, Krakor district police chief, said he was simply complying with the court warrant and only knew that the fraud accusations dated back to 2010.