PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that he will donate more than US $700,000 he received in compensation from a lawsuit against Sam Rainsy, to lawyers who represent the poor.

He made this announcement during the inauguration ceremony of Street 146B connecting to Street 148 in Sihanoukville on Thursday morning, 22 December.

The Prime Minister also stated that Sam Rainsy still owes him around US $300,000.

In November 2021, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided to sell the house of opposition leader Sam Rainsy, which was a former CNRP building in Prek Takung village, Chak Angre Leu commune, Meanchey district, Phnom Penh. The house was seized and sold in order to compensate National Assembly President Heng Samrin, Prime Minister Hun Sen, Minister of Interior, DPM Sar Kheng, and the Royal Government, in separate court verdicts made against Sam Rainsy.

According to the "Order for Forced Selling" issued by the Judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, Im Vannak, and posted in front of Sam Rainsy's house, the house was seized and sold in order to make the necessary compensations in accordance with a series of supreme court verdicts.

Final verdict, dated 1 November 2017, ordered Sam Rainsy to pay 250 million riel to National Assembly President Heng Samrin.

Another verdict, dated 19 December 2018, ordered Rainsy to compensate Prime Minister Hun Sen with 4 billion riel.

Another verdict, dated 30 December 2020, ordered Rainsy to compensate DPM Sar Kheng with 2 billion riel.

And the latest final verdict, dated 1 March 2021, ordered Rainsy to compensate the Royal Government with 1.8 billion riel.

In total, Sam Rainsy has been ordered by the court to pay around 8.5 billion riel, equivalent to roughly US $2.1 million.