A police officer accused of drug trafficking but released from custody after allegedly bribing court officials yesterday fronted court with two accomplices, having been re-arrested following the sacking of disgraced former Phnom Penh court president Ang Maltey.

The officer, Thav Thavy, 33, is accused of selling waitress Khiey Sreyroath, 21, and businesswoman Srey Chan, 23, four grams of methamphetamine, worth $1,500, which the women then allegedly tried to sell to undercover policemen last year.

Police arrested the women – who yesterday confessed – and traced the drugs to Thavy, who denies the accusations, claiming he was in Battambang, but admits he trafficked drugs previously.

According Ly Sopheak, a penal officer with the Phnom Penh municipal police, Thavy was arrested last year but given bail after bribing officials, including offering his Audi, which was seized by police.

The car, Sopheak said, was given to the son of Ang Maltey, court president at the time, but returned after Maltey was arrested for corruption in February, at which time Thavy was re-arrested.