Deputy Prosecutor Sok Kalyan: Decision to Close the Investigation into ECCC Corruption Was Made Thursday

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 7 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Phnom Penh Municipal Court has dismissed an investigation into corruption charges filed against Cambodia's deputy prime minister and some senior officials, a prosecutor said Saturday.

Sok Kalyan, a prosecutor at the court, said the decision was made Thursday.

Andrew Ianuzzi, one of three complainants, confirmed he had received notice dismissing the complaint and suggested the dismissal might be related to "political motivation."

Last month, co-lawyers Michiel Pestman and Victor Koppe and legal consultant Ianuzzi filed the complaint with the municipal court charging corruption within the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

The lawyers are international co-lawyers for Nuon Chea, who is detained at the ECCC's facilities on war crime and crimes against humanity charges.

The trio alleged a portion of salaries for Cambodian judges and staff at the ECCC was kicked back to several government officials.

Among those they alleged to have benefited are Sok An, the deputy prime minister in charge of the Khmer Rouge trial, Sean Visoth, director of the ECCC administration, and his former chief of personnel Keo Thyvuth.

"There is no reason for judges to cut their salaries to pay kickbacks to government officials, as alleged. We absolutely reject such an accusation," the ECCC co-judges said in a statement released soon after the complaint was filed on Jan. 9.