The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday heard the case of four people charged with plotting to overthrow the government. They had been arrested for planting bombs to cause chaos during Khmer New Year.

The four were among six defendants accused of planting bombs, none of which exploded.

Chan Sarath, one of the accused, said during his trial that he met a man named Heng Van while working as a construction worker in Kampot province.

Van introduced him to another man identified only as Samnang, who then put him in touch with Sok Phearum, a man said to be in his mid-60s and living in the US.

Phearum also identified himself as the head of the so-called “Khmer Liberate Khmer Movement”.

Last year, Sarath said, Phearum asked to meet him in Thailand. So he travelled there through the Lem border checkpoint in Battambang province’s Kamrieng district and met Phearum twice.

In each meeting, Phearum asked him to gather people in Cambodia to join his “Khmer Liberate Khmer Movement” to form a political party of the same name. Phearum, he said, claimed to be in the process of applying to the Ministry of Interior for approval for his movement.

Sarath said he wanted to join the movement and had gathered more than 40 members. But he denied having any prior knowledge of the organisation of an armed force, as Phearum had only discussed the formation of a political party during each meeting.

He stressed that he even asked Phearum to change the party’s name to something more relevant to workers.

“I had no intention to oppose the Cambodian government,but I wanted to participate in the Khmer Liberate Khmer Movement Party. I would like to request the court to reduce my charge,” he pleaded to the presiding judge.

Another accused, Heng Ran, said during the trial that he was a construction supervisor and was previously a member of the Khmer National United Party (KNUP). After the party was dissolved, he returned to work as a contractor.

He said Samnang had brought him to meet Phearum in Thailand three times, but he denied any involvement in the bomb plot.

“I would like the court to reduce my charge because I did not participate in the coup against the government,” he pleaded.

Another defendant, Ouk Roem, also pleaded not guilty, claiming he was only a KNUP member.

“I have no intention of overthrowing the government, so please reduce my charge,” he said.

Yet another accused, Ek Amry, who is also Phearum’s granddaughter, said during the trial that she was in no way involved in any plot.

Amry claimed her only role was to type documents that Phearum sent to her from the US. She said she agreed to work as a typist for her grandfather because he provided money to support her studies.

“I did not attend any meeting with the three persons because I did not care about politics. So I would like the court to release me,” she pleaded to the presiding judge.

Prosecutor Sam Righty Veasna said there was evidence to prove the six defendants’ involvement in plotting. “I would like to maintain the charge under Article 453 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

Defence lawyer Chea Pisey said her clients were all deceived by Phearum, who himself had been cheated by others. “Please release them so that they can regain freedom,” she pleaded to the judge.