Embattled Cambodia prince postpones his day in court

By DPA
Jan 5, 2007, 12:45 GMT

Phnom Penh - Embattled Cambodian politician Prince Norodom Ranariddh skipped a scheduled court appearance Friday after his lawyer applied for a delay to ensure other sacked former royalist Funcinpec Party colleagues could appear with him.

Ranariddh was ousted as president of the governing coalition partner Funcinpec along with a number of prominent loyalists in an October 18 party election result engineered by his bitter rival, Funcinpec secretary-general Nhek Bun Chhay.

The prince has filed a complaint with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court claiming the election was unconstitutional and as such, the royalist Funcinpec Party is illegal and therefore ineligible to compete in the April commune elections under its current leadership.

'Today the prince was in Kampong Cham province. He still plans to go to the court but asked to delay because he wants all sacked Funcinpec leaders to be present and he wants to face Nhek Bun Chhay personally in the court,' the prince's spokesman Ork Socheat said by telephone.

Socheat also confirmed that Ranariddh, who chose to leave Funcinpec rather than accept the title of 'historical president' left to him by the party's new regime, and form his own Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), had visited US Ambassador to Cambodia Joseph Mussomeli Thursday.

'The prince met with the US ambassador because the NRP will use all means to protect our party because, as you know, on October 18 a group dared to topple Ranariddh from Funcinpec and now we seek any means of support for justice,' Socheat said.

In a speech broadcast on national radio Friday, Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated previous warnings that anyone plotting a coup against him would be arrested in their homes, but the reference appeared general and not aimed at any party or person in particular.

Ranariddh, whose slide from power began with his resignation as National Assembly chief last year, also faces a barrage of counter lawsuits from Nhek Bun Chhay, including charges that he embezzled millions of dollars from the party earned by the sale of Funcinpec headquarters.
Ranariddh has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated mudslinging. However, his resignation from Funcinpec to form his own party meant he was stripped of his parliamentary seat and therefore political immunity and if convicted he potentially faces jail.

Analysts have given Ranariddh little chance of winning his suit against the legality of the new Funcinpec leadership, which is headed by former Cambodian Ambassador to Germany Keo Puth Rasmei, pointing out that the election results have already been ratified by the Ministry of Interior.