The Ministry of Interior has declined to take legal action against the Khmer Rise Party (KRP) after its president Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung – better known as William Guang – was arrested for masterminding a home invasion jewellery heist and now faces between five and 10 years in prison for the armed robbery.
Chhim Kan, director of the ministry’s Department of Associations and Political Parties, told The Post on January 3 that the ministry was waiting for a formal decision from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on William Guang’s case.
“Once the ministry receives the court decision, we will follow the procedures to the letter of the law. Thus far nothing has changed legally for his party and it can function normally. We have not yet banned them from engaging in political activities pending the court ruling,” he said.
Officials from the KRP who requested anonymity in order to candidly discuss the controversy told The Post on January 3 that following William Guang’s arrest and his being charged by the court, the KRP was still running as usual and the party was currently preparing to appoint a new president to lead the party for the upcoming elections.
National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman Som Sorida told The Post on January 3 that parties that have correctly registered in accordance with the Law on Political Parties at the interior ministry have the right to register candidates with the NEC to compete in this year’s upcoming election and that personal actions undertaken by the party’s president – no matter how extreme – that do not involve the actual party itself will not be held against the organisation.
“Despite the indictment of the party’s president, his party is still on the list of political parties at the Ministry of Interior. The interior ministry has not removed that party from the list of registered parties,” he said.
William Guang, 44, has been charged by the municipal court with aggravated theft, illegal possession of weapons and forgery of public documents following his arrest along with 14 others in connection with the armed robbery of social media influencer and lotion saleswoman An Sieu Mey in December, with a reported $2 million worth of jewellery stolen by the gang.
Municipal court deputy prosecutor Plang Sophal said William Guang was the mastermind of the armed robbery and could be imprisoned for up to 10 years according to the statutory penalties in place for the crimes for which he was charged. He said the sentence would depend on the judge’s discretion post-trial if William Guang is convicted.