The Appeal Court yesterday denied a bail request from election official Ny Chakrya, who stands accused of bribing the alleged mistress of opposition leader Kem Sokha in a case widely considered politically motivated.

Judge Sous Sam Ath threw out the request, leaving Chakrya in pre-trial detention.

Chakrya, the deputy secretary-general of the National Election Committee (NEC), was arrested on April 28, 2016, and stands accused with four staffers of the human rights group Adhoc, to which he also previously belonged. Chakrya’s lawyer, Sam Sokong, said he requested bail for his client on the basis of health problems and guaranteed a deposit of $500, as well as his client’s passport.

“According to the court, if there was a release on bail, it would affect [the] other accused,” Sokong said. “[The] second point is that the case is under investigation, and another point, the court is afraid that the accused [might] collude with others to threaten [Sokha’s alleged mistress].”

Chakrya has taken his case to the Appeal Court three previous times: once to challenge the extension of his pre-trial detention and twice to request bail.