The Ministry of Finance has asked the National Bank of Cambodia to freeze the assets of four prominent businesspeople due to outstanding payments on land bought from the government.

Among the alleged debtors is Suy Sophan, the president of development company Phan Imex, which was behind the notorious Borei Keila land eviction in 2012.

She could not be reached for comment.

In a letter dated July 22, the Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Porn Moniroth wrote to the bank explaining that the individuals had been asked multiple times to pay the debts.

He said Sophan owed money in relation to a land swap deal involving the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and for land in Toul Kork bought from the Ministry of Information.

Others named in the statement are: Golden Century Import Export Co Ltd. president Phou Sivkhen, who allegedly owes money to the Ministry of Interior; Mono Ratanak Construction president Ngin Mono; and Sovann Vathanak president Norng Savuth who the statement lists as having bought land from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.

They, and Finance Ministry officials, could not be immediately reached for comment ahead of publication.