The Khmer Rouge tribunal has closed its investigation into Yim Tith, who stands charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, breaches of the Geneva Conventions and homicide, a notice yesterday said.

Now a wealthy businessman, Tith was a mid-level commander in Pol Pot’s regime. His alleged crimes were carried out in the Southwest and Northwest zones. He was charged in 2015 as part of the contentious Case 004.

Court spokeswoman Hayat Abu-Saleh said parties have 15 days to request further investigative action and then “the case file will go to the prosecutor, who will take [an estimated] three months to submit their final submission and that gets filed to the co-investigating judges”.

A closing order, which decides whether to indict or dismiss the case, is due in 2018, she said. The prosecution and defence did not respond to requests for comment.

The government-opposed cases 003 and 004 have been dogged by claims of political interference, and in May, the co-investigators suggested a permanent stay of proceedings due to a lack of funds, a reason questioned by observers.