Prime Minister Hun Manet has dismissed Kan Sokkhay from his position as Lvea Em district governor in Kandal province after he was cheated by Oknha Ly Samet, to whom he paid $300,000 in an attempt to secure the position of Arey Ksat town governor.

In a sub-decree dated October 8, Manet stated that Sokkhay was removed from office due to “serious ethical and professional misconduct, in violation of the Civil Service Statute of the Kingdom of Cambodia”.

The decision came just one day after Senate president Hun Sen revealed that Sokkhay had been defrauded by Samet, also known as “Kru Mea”, who promised Sokkhay the position in exchange for money.

On October 7, Hun Sen wrote on social media, “Today, I received a video from Lvea Em district governor Kan Sokkhay stating that Ly Samet took $300,000 from him to secure the position of Arey Ksat town governor.”

Hun Sen explained that Ly Samet had used his name to deceive many people, with some cases involving up to $10 million. He further noted that during his six years as foreign minister, 38 years as prime minister and current position as Senate president, he has signed thousands of appointments for civil servants and military officers.

“I have never accepted any interventions, whether requested or in the form of bribes. On the contrary, some officials have been appointed and even received assistance from me to facilitate their work,” he said.

He added that, beyond the cases he mentioned in his Facebook posts, there are likely many others who have been scammed by Samet. He called on the Ministry of Justice to investigate the matter and urged victims to file lawsuits through his legal team.

Samet holds the honorific title of Oknha, a designation awarded to prominent businesspeople in Cambodia who have made significant contributions to society, and also served as a personal advisor to Hun Sen, according to several media outlets.