Cambodian prince appeals guilty verdict in breach-of-trust case

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: A former Cambodian prime minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, has appealed his conviction of breach of trust against the Cambodian royalist party he once led, the prince's lawyer said Thursday.

In March, a muncipal court judge sentenced Ranariddh, son of former King Norodom Sihanouk, in absentia to 18 months in jail for breach of trust against the royalist Funcinpec party in a sale of a party property. The party had ousted Ranariddh as its leader in October.

Ranariddh's lawyer, Muong Arun, called the ruling "unacceptable" on Thursday, adding that he had filed the appeal two days before.

Ranariddh was also ordered to pay US$150,000 (€110,000) in compensation to the party in his sentence, which was in connection with the sale of the Funcinpec party headquarters.

The judge in the trial said Ranariddh had intentionally registered the property in his own name, rather than in the party's name, but said there was insufficient evidence to prove the party's allegations that the prince had embezzled US$3.6 million (€2.7 million) in the sale.

Funcinpec rejected him as its leader on Oct. 18, citing his alleged incompetence and frequent absences from the country.

Ranariddh is now president of the party he formed after his ouster, the Norodom Ranariddh Party.

His spokesman, Muth Chantha, originally said of the March ruling that seeking an appeal would amount to recognizing the guilty verdict, but on Thursday he said that Ranariddh "wants to show to the world whether the Appeals Court can guarantee him a justice or not."

Ranariddh is currently living in France.

If the verdict is not reversed, Ranariddh will be barred from running for public office in Cambodia unless he serves at least two-thirds of his jail term or receives a pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni, his half brother.