With hundeds demonstrating outside Pursat Provincial Court in his support, the verdict hearing of land activist Koch Veng was delayed yesterday.

Koch Veng was scheduled to receive a verdict and, potentially, a sentence yesterday for allegedly misappropriating $4,500 given to him by another villager in 2010.

Many villagers have suggested the charges against Veng are motivated by his leadership in protests against land clearing by Pheapimex, owned by Choeung Sopheap, wife of ruling party Senator Lao Meng Khin.