A former administration assistant at garment factory Reliable Sources Industrial Co Ltd was yesterday tried by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court over allegations she embezzled almost $60,000 from the factory by skimming overtime and lunch fees from 2,000 employees from 2012 to 2014.

Judge Pich Maren said that Ly Kimheak, 28, was charged with “breach of trust” under Articles 391 and 392 of the Penal Code. She was arrested on October 4, 2014.

Sum Chamrong, the lawyer for Reliable Sources, said that according to an in-house audit, Kimheak was believed to have stolen a total of $57,768.

“The owner of the factory knew about her embezzling since 2012, after abnormal expenditure reports on the workers’ overtime and lunch fees were seen,” he added.

Kimheak admitted her misdeeds but said her supervisor, Thol Phallin, had also profited from the embezzlement.

“I accept that I exploited money from the factory, but I did so on the orders of Thol Phallin,” Kimheak said.

Phallin denied the allegations and is not being charged by the court.

A verdict is expected on August 26.