A clerk for the Banteay Meanchey court was arrested on preliminary charges of corruption on Sunday, officials said yesterday.

Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) Om Yentieng said the suspect, Hang Samoeun, would be sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. When asked for details, Yentieng chided a reporter for asking questions that could “destroy the source” of the information.

A statement released by the ACU alleged that Samoeun, “previously working as a clerk for the Koh Kong and Phnom Penh courts, and now the Banteay Meanchey court, had used his authority and position to exert pressure to extort money from victims without fear”.

It added that as a court clerk, Samoeun allegedly took advantage of his position by demanding payment from victims for the release of court verdicts, and would delay them otherwise.

The statement claims that from December to March, Samouen had four times extorted money for a total of $3,500. At an unspecified point, it added, he had demanded between $20,000 and $40,000, along with either land or a Mazda car, but the statement did not offer details of the case.