A relative of Cambodia’s ambassador to South Korea, who was detained on Monday amid a corruption probe, yesterday claimed the envoy was innocent, as the Anti-Corruption Unit reportedly prepared to send the case to court.

Mao Sam Oeun, brother-in-law of Suth Dina, said he had spoken yesterday for 15 minutes with the ambassador, who reiterated earlier claims that he was being set up.

“He told me that there were some officials who were unhappy with him and had set up this scenario,” Oeun said.

“He said he had encountered this problem before but didn’t expect that it would continue to grow . . . He said he knows the person behind the setup but did not want to tell us; he said it was a group.”

Ouen said Dina also recounted being called on Monday to an “urgent” meeting by outgoing Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and then being summoned by the ACU.

“He told me he couldn’t believe this was happening,” Oeun said.

Speaking on Monday, ACU president Om Yentieng said its probe was based on complaints from Foreign Ministry officials and Cambodian migrant workers in South Korea, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance had also audited Dina’s spending.

Yentieng did not answer repeated phone calls yesterday but was quoted in local media as saying the ACU would build a court case on two unspecified accusations.