Publisher who posed as a general charged
July 30, 2018
Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court on Saturday charged the publisher of a local newspaper who posed as a military brigadier general to extort money from fishermen who flouted rules.

Major Seng Vichet, a provincial police officer, identified the accused as Chhim Sophath, 52, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Smaradey 7 Makara Amatak newspaper in the province’s Prey Nop district.

He said Mr Sophath is also the president of an NGO, the Nature Resources Protection and Diversity Ecology Development Organization.

Major Vichet said that the accused was charged with using a uniform similar to that used by the military or police; using a forged public official identity card; and using a forged letter of appointment purportedly issued by the Defence Ministry.

He said the accused faces up to five years in jail if convicted and is now in prison pending his trial.

He added that a police investigation revealed that the accused had used his position as a journalist and as a fake brigadier general to extort money from fishermen in the district who used illegal nets and fished in prohibited areas in exchange for not reporting on their activities.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50516957/p ... l-charged/

The accused has everything he needs to say that this is a CPP conspiracy, aka the Mark Smith defense. Should we invite his father to join CEO and tell us his side of the events?