The trial of an ex-police officer accused of attempting to swindle a former employer out of $1.5 million of land wrapped up at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday, with a verdict due next month.

Pech Hy, 36, faces charges of “breach of trust” for allegedly naming himself as the owner of about 1,000 hectares of land in Kandal province that he bought on behalf of tycoon Srey Chanthan between 2006 and 2008.

At the time, Hy was working for Chanthan’s 7NG Company and Agricultural Safety Trading Co Ltd and had been handed the money to buy up the lands of villagers in the districts of Lvea Em and Khsach Kandal – but the property deeds allegedly never showed up and Hy disappeared.

Chanthan’s lawyer, Lay Nora, yesterday stated that “to find justice in this case”, Hy should pay $1.5 million in compensation as well as return the more than $1.5 million received at the time.

Hy was arrested in July 2014 while working at the Interior Ministry’s Penal Police Department – where he had also been employed during his service with 7NG.

His lawyer, Pich Ratana, yesterday called for the case to be dismissed, saying no new evidence had been presented since similar accusations were thrown out of Kandal Provincial Court in 2009.

The verdict is set to be announced on October 1.