A woman arrested for allegedly selling a deaf orphan for sex will have her case reinvestigated, a Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge decided yesterday.

Em Sophea, also known as Je Srey, 44, was tried on February 3 for the kidnapping of a 13-year-old HIV-positive girl from the New Hope for Cambodian Children orphanage in Kandal in June. Sophea allegedly brought the girl to Phnom Penh and forced her to have sex at a brothel.

But Judge Kim Dany yesterday said the court will now look into claims that Sophea was at NagaWorld casino during the alleged incident.

“It was decided to … have police reinvestigate, checking all cameras in NagaWorld to find out whether Em Sophea was present there or not,” Dany said.

Sok Phalla, executive director of the orphanage, said the girl had disappeared for three days, returning with bruises.

“[The victim] was given 2,000 riel (about 50 cents) from this woman for the fee of having sex with an old man,” he said.