The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has called in the head of the Preah Sihanouk provincial Foreign Labour Inspectorate at the General Department of Immigration for questioning over allegations he fined a casino almost $12,000 more than he should have.

The casino was found to have 57 foreign employees working without permits.

A letter from ACU head Om Yentieng to Major General Yim Laly, the police official in charge of the Preah Sihanouk provincial Foreign Labour Inspectorate, called on him to provide the relevant documents as the ACU proceeded with its probe.

Excessive fine

The letter says the ACU received a complaint on August 12 after Laly had inspected the Soeng Chhoeng Casino in Sihanoukville’s Commune 1 to check if it was properly applying immigration and labour laws.

The 57 workers were each fined $125, totalling $7,125. Another $1,680 in fines was levied for the failure to fully follow staffing directives.

The complaint alleges Laly fined the casino a total of $20,000 – $11,195 more than he should have.

However, Laly told The Post on Sunday that he had not done anything against procedure. He said he would attend the ACU questioning this week.

“I don’t yet know when I have to attend the ACU as a specific date has not been set. But I will go there this week when I have prepared the documents,” Laly said.

He said he sent the director-general of the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Immigration, Kirth Chantharith, a letter on August 13 explaining why he had fined the casino $20,000.

He said he had received the amount before all the working groups involved had agreed on the fines to be paid.

Neither Chantharith, Department of Immigration spokesperson Ath Bunny, provincial Department of Labour director Yov Khemara nor ACU chief Yentieng could be reached by The Post for comment on Sunday.