Court charges police impersonator

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea / Khmer Times

july 27,2020

Kampong Thom Provincial Court yesterday charged and detained a man accused of posing as a three-star-general police officer working with the Ministry of Interior and possessing nearly $600,000 in counterfeit bills.

Major Chun Sothy, deputy chief of Stung Sen city police, identified the suspect as Ken Dina, 42, unemployed and living in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district.

Maj Sothy said Dina portrayed himself as a Lieutenant General Police Officer working with the Anti-Drug Department in the Ministry of Interior in Kampong Thom province.

Dina was charged with “unlawful use of costume designated for public authority and circulating counterfeit currency and banknotes” under Articles 612 and 647 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, he faces five to seven years in prison.

He added Dina was arrested on Friday in the market in Prey Ponlech village after he was seen riding a motorbike while wearing a fake uniform.

The commune police officers suspected foul play  and confronted Dina.

“After questioning Dina and realising he was an impersonator, he was arrested,” Maj Sothy told Khmer Times yesterday.

“Police seized $589,000 in counterfeit money and two phones from him,” he said.

He was sent to the provincial court for interrogation and is now in prison pending trial.

Dina admitted to committing the offence but, in his defence, said he was not out to cheat anyone. He added the counterfeit money he had on him was for prayers and he had no intention of circulating it.