The Kandal provincial court has sentenced a woman to two-and-a-half years in prison for buying gold stolen in the heist of several relics from an Oudong Mountain stupa last year, the woman’s attorney said yesterday.

Uch Sophal, defence lawyer for defendant Siek Sareth, 39, said yesterday that he will appeal the “unjust” decision.

Sareth was arrested in February for buying gold from the main suspect in the heist, Keo Reaksmey, at a market in Takeo’s Traing district. Reaksmey was also arrested in the same month.

In an interview in November, Sareth maintained that she did not know the gold was stolen, and said she had bought it at market price from Reaksmey.

Sophal said the verdict was issued by Hok Vanthyna, president of the Kandal court. Vanthyna declined to comment yesterday.

Five men – four security guards and a villager – were arrested on December 10 last year and charged in connection to the same case. The charges were dropped after the arrest of Reaksmey, but the men remain in detention while a prosecutor appeals the decision.