Police in Mondulkiri province on Tuesday arrested a local online publisher accused of encroaching on government protected land and drug use.

Lieutenant Colonel Ly Bunsong, deputy chief of Mondulkiri Crime Investigation Department, identified the suspect as Ma Mengthy, 38, a news website publisher living in the province’s Keo Seima district.

Lt Col Bunsong said police arrested Mengthy at about 2pm on Tuesday in Phnom Penh.

He said Mengthy was transferred to penal police in Mondulkiri province for questioning and further investigation yesterday and he is due to appear at the provincial court for questioning today.

“He is accused of encroaching and clearing about 10 hectares of the state’s protected forest area in Keo Seima district,” Lt Col Bunsong said, noting that Mengthy first grabbed the forest land in 2019.

“He was arrested in accordance with Mondulkiri provincial court’s arrest warrant,” he said, noting that police officers found an amount of drugs with him.

Lt Col Bunsong said Mengthy is still detained at the provincial police headquarters for questioning and he is scheduled to be sent to the provincial court today.

 

• Tags: land grab, Ma Mengthy, protected land