An Interior Ministry official was reported by district authorities to the Takeo provincial police for allegedly taking a bribe from a local shop, though the official has denied the allegations and implicated the accuser instead.

Chea Sophat, Koh Andet district police chief, said border police official Sam Pisey asked for 500,000 riel (about $125) from a handmade furniture shopowner in the district’s Ror Menh commune.

“They just bought wood and make handmade furniture, like tables. I don’t understand why he takes money from them,” Sophat said, adding that he had sent the report last Friday.

However, Pisey denied all allegations and said the district police chief had offered him money. He also claimed that the shop was not producing handmade furniture, but instead produced illegally logged wood to be sent to Vietnam.

“They made a false report. When I went down there I didn’t see the owner of the wood. It’s the district police chief who was there and offered me money,” he said.

“But I didn’t accept it, so I left it with the district police deputy chief [who was also there].”

The Takeo provincial police chief could not be reached yesterday.