Three women were sentenced to five years in prison yesterday for supplying teenage girls to have sex with wealthy men in Phnom Penh hotels last year.

Suos Sam Ath, presiding judge of Phnom Penh Municipal Court, ruled that Chan Srey Leak, 25, Soeun Tey, 24, and Kim Layseak, 18, had supplied three girls – aged between 15 and 16 – to three clients.

“The court convicted and sentenced them to five years each and ordered them to pay two million riel [$500] each to the three victims,” he said.

He added that they had been sentenced under articles 26 and 35 of the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.

Lieutenant Colonel Keo Thea, chief of Phnom Penh Municipal Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Unit, said the clients paid $100 to have sex with the girls, with the accused taking a 50 per cent cut.

Srey Leak said she would appeal the sentence and denied involvement in the crime.