PHNOM PENH, Dec. 1 (FN) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday sentenced Cambodia's ex-ambassador to South Korea Suth Dina to five years in prison for corruption-related offenses.
Dina, 45, who had served as the ambassador to South Korea for 25 months, was taken into custody by the country's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) in April, following a raft of complaints against him.
The ACU announced that an investigation had found that Dina had 7.2 million U.S. dollars in cash, up from 4.2 million U.S. dollars when his ambassadorial appointment began in Feb. 2014. Also, Dina owned 12.7 kg of gold worth about 500,000 dollars and several houses and pieces of land.
The ACU said Dina had embezzled 116,995 dollars from selling visa stickers and withdrew more than 180,000 dollars from the embassy's administrative budget for informal salary expenses.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court in April charged Dina with embezzlement and abuse of power.
"The court decides to sentence Suth Dina to five years in prison and to fine him 10 million riel (2,500 U.S. dollars)," said the verdict.
Dina appeared in the courtroom to hear his verdict.