Friday, 15 August 2008

Tribunal Official Removed After Allegations

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
14 August 2008

Khmer audio aired 13 August 2008 (1.00 MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired 13 August 2008 (1.00 MB) - Listen (MP3)

The Khmer Rouge tribunal has removed a high-ranking official in charge of personnel, following nagging allegations of kickbacks and irregularities in the troubled courts.

Keo Thy Vuth was removed from his administrative position and returned to work at the Cabinet of Ministers Monday.

Sources close to the tribunal said he may have been removed due to allegations of kickbacks and corruption, or he may have been a scapegoat.

A tribunal spokesman denied Keo Thy Vuth had been fired.

"There was not any sacking at the [tribunal] Monday," the spokesman, Reach Sambath, said. "He was just transferred to work in his original place at the Cabinet of Ministers."

Keo Thy Vuth was replaced by Rong Chhong.

The shuffle comes as 250 tribunal staff have gone unpaid for the month of July, and as the UN and donors reassess their funding following complaints in June of irregularities.

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