PHNOM PENH: The Judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Horm MengShea, has ruled that the Vice President of the Candlelight Party, Son Chhay, lost the suit placed against him by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the National Election Committee (NEC). Son Chhay has been ordered to pay more than US $750,000 in compensation to the CPP and the NEC and to also issue a public written apology to the NEC.

The verdict was announced at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday afternoon, 7 October 2022, without Son Chhay's presence.

The Vice President of the Candlelight Party must pay 9 million riel (approximately US $2,000) to the NEC and write a letter of apology within two months from the date of announcement.

The court has also ordered Son Chhay to pay 3 billion riel (approximately US $750,000) in compensation to the CPP and 8 million riel (approximately US $750) to the state.

In August 2022, both the NEC and the CPP filed defamation suits against Son Chhay, over an interview he conducted with the Cambodia Daily, alleging that the 5th Mandate Commune / Sangkat election involved cheating, intimidation and vote-buying, to the point of using the metaphor of "thieves."

The CPP's lawyer considered these allegations to be false, a distortion of the truth, and the spread of false information with the intention of slander, with potential to seriously damage the reputation of the CPP. The NEC also stated that Son Chhay's comments had seriously affected the committee, which must perform its duties independently and neutrally to ensure that all elections are free, fair and just in accordance with the principles of multi-party liberal democracy.