The Phnom Penh Municipal court Tuesday issues a warrant to bring in opposition party president Sam Rainsy to answer the defamation charges filed by FUNCINPEC president Prince Norodom Ranariddh. The opposition president has charged Ranariddh of accepting about 50 millions of dollars in bribe plus an airplane in exchange of forming a coalition government with the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The warrant, issued by investigative judge Thong Ol and deputy prosecutor Nhet Chariya of the Phnom Penh court, ordered Sam Rainsy to appear in court on November 29.
Sam Rainsy is currently living abroad after the National Assembly voted to strip his immunity on February 3rd. He could not be reached for comment today. His lawyer, Sam Chandina said that he had seen the warrant.
Sam Chandina criticizes the court for brushing aside all lawsuits Sam Rainsy has filed regarding the stripping of his parliamentary immunity.