A chief monk in Preah Sihanouk province has been defrocked and will appear in court on charge of child pornography.

Non Nimol, 37, was arrested in the province’s O’Ta Pong village. Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Sam Bun Pov issued a warrant for his arrest for “possessing pornography of a child under 18 years of age”.

According to the warrant, the crime was committed in Phnom Penh. He has been charged under articles 40 and 41 of the Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.

The Ministry of Interior’s Anti-cybercrime department director Chea Pov could not be reached for comment on Sunday. But according to his department’s report, the arrest was made in cooperation with the National Police, provincial police and officials from the provincial Department of Cults and Religions.

The report said the suspect confessed during questioning.

Phnom Penh municipal cults and religions department director Tep Kongkea said on Sunday the case is not under the department’s jurisdiction.

“This case is for the Supreme Patriarch to handle,” he said.