Municipal court officials descended on the headquarters of the Norodom Ranariddh Party on Friday to carry out a legal decision made earlier in the week that reinstated six top members of the party whom NRP leadership had attempted to oust.

It was a day of vindication for Sao Rany, who regained his title as secretary general of NRP after filing the original complaint that sought redress for himself, deputies Pheng Heng, Khim Sela, Thav Kimlong, Long Lim and permanent committee member Yous Saly.

“I was one of the six victims whose positions and duties were withdrawn by the Norodom Ranariddh Party,” Rany told the Post yesterday, adding that he was “pleased” with the court’s action.

The entire rigmarole started over a week ago when Rany and senior members dispatched a public memo urging Ranariddh to step down so NRP could fulfill its on-again, off-again merger with the Funcinpec party.

Ranariddh, however, fired back by stripping the members of their titles and duties.

Rany cried foul, and the court agreed.

The confrontation at NRP headquarters was not very dramatic.

A prosecutor representing the court took the party stamp from the main office in Toul Kork district in Phnom Penh and handed it over to Rany, reinstalling him as secretary general.

NRP spokesman Pen Sangha said that no one opposed the court action.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]