PHNOM Penh Municipal Court yesterday sentenced a former monk to one year in prison after finding him guilty of distributing pornography. The complainant was the fourth to pursue legal action against the monk after police accused him of secretly filming hundreds of women as they bathed at a pagoda in Daun Penh district.

Neth Kai, 35, was arrested on June 26 on suspicion of using a mobile phone to film hundreds of women as they showered at Srah Chak pagoda, and the clips were widely distributed. He had previously been found guilty in two other cases stemming from the scandal, and now faces a total of 19 years behind bars.

Presiding Judge Sem Sakola also ordered the defrocked monk to pay 40 million riels (US$9,501) in compensation to the 33-year-old victim.

Speaking to reporters after the verdict was announced, Neth Kai said the verdict “is acceptable for me”.

But defence lawyer Chea Hey said he planned to appeal.

“I do not accept the court’s verdict, and I don’t think it is justice for my client, and the court’s compensation requirements are very high,” he said. “I think that I will file a complaint to the Appeal Court.”

On Thursday of last week, the court sentenced Neth Kai to 17 years in prison after finding him guilty of distributing pornography and producing child pornography. That ruling was in connection with two separate complaints filed by underage victims.

In September, the court found him guilty of distributing pornography and sentenced him to one year in prison after a complaint was filed by another victim.

The court has ordered Neth Kai to pay a total of 140 million riels in compensation.

Also yesterday, the court heard the case against four Vietnamese suspects – three men and one woman – and a Cambodian man charged with procuring prostitution while operating an illegal brothel in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork district. All five were arrested following a raid on the brothel on January 29. A verdict will be read on November 15.