An official at the Takeo provincial department of labour was arrested on Friday and charged for allegedly embezzling more than $310,000 from vocational teachers, the ACU and a prosecutor said yesterday.

Sok Ranny, the deputy chief of the vocational training centre at the department, stands accused of skimming the salaries of 18 teachers over the course of seven years, according to a statement released by the ACU yesterday.

“After investigating the irregularities related to the leadership and management of Sok Ranny, the judicial police of ACU have found some 1.3 billion riel ($313,750) was embezzled from 18 technical teachers … as well as funds for the provincial vocational training in the centre from 2006 to 2013,” the ACU’s release reads.

Takeo provincial court prosecutor Meas Sophak said Ranny was charged with “unlawful exploitation” and was sent to the provincial prison for pre-trial detention on Sunday.

If found guilty, Ranny faces between two and five years in prison and fines of up to 10 million riel ($2,500).