Judicial overreach

A woman from Poipet commune has filed a complaint to the Anti-Corruption Unit against Banteay Meanchey provincial court judge Thai Kim Mony, alleging he forced her to give up her land.

Chan Vanna’s complaint, filed last week to ACU President Om Yentieng, claims that investigating judge Mony intimidated her into transferring land to lenders Sien Sameth and Pat Pov, to whom Vanna had temporarily handed over her title for more than 600 square metres as collateral against a loan.

Vanna was unable to finish repaying the loan, which accrued several thousand dollars in interest, and asked the couple to buy her land. The couple refused. Instead, they forged documents and sued her for illegal occupation of the land, Vanna said.

“I was intimidated by investigating judge Thai Kim Mony into thumbprinting an agreement [to hand over the land]” by threatening to detain her if she did not comply, Vanna said.

Mony dismissed the accusations, saying he had merely encouraged the parties to resolve the dispute out of court.

Lender Sameth said he bought the land from Vanna legally and that authorities recognised his land title.