The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday ordered British businessman Gregg Fryett to choose new lawyers by November 6 or be represented by a court-appointed lawyer after accusing him of attempting to delay proceedings by demanding new representation.

Presiding judge Chuon Soreasey accused Fryett – who is on trial with five others over allegations of massive fraud – of undertaking multiple efforts to slow proceedings, including suing to change the composition of the bench, demanding an English interpreter when none was available and then subsequently rejecting an interpreter after one was provided.

(At the time, Fryett had contended that the interpreter was unacceptable because he was an employee of the Anti-Corruption Unit, the body that investigated Fryett’s case.)

One of Fryett’s lawyers, Tuoth Lux, recused himself yesterday from representing the defendants, citing a “conflict of interest”, while another lawyer said he had not received court notice.

Judge Soreasey said that the trial will now continue on November 18.