via CAAI
Monday, 17 January 2011 15:02 Chrann Chamroeun and Mom Kunthear
A FRENCH national was charged on Saturday with procuring child prostitution in Sihanoukville, provincial police said.
According to the police charges, a 13-year-old girl from Preah Sihanouk province said French national Juan Ordonez Camacho escorted her on a trip to Vietnam in 2010, where he sexually abused her for the first time.
The charges allege that on their return to her village, he continued to abuse the girl, bribing her with money and a cell phone to guarantee her silence.
“Ordonez Camacho, 50, was charged with purchasing child prostitution and he is detained in the province’s prison pending further investigation,” said Be Sivanna, head of the provincial anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection office.
Be Sivanna said Comacho was arrested in the town’s commune 3 on Thursday.
Bou Bun Heang, Preah Sihanoukville provincial prosecutor, confirmed the authorities had detained the French national and they had sent the documents outlining his charges to the investigating judge for further examination.
Samleang Seila, country director for child protection NGO Actions Pour Les Enfants, said the authorities had been tipped off following a lengthy investigation by the organisation.
“We have suspected the man since he was here two years ago of sexually abusing several book sellers along the riverside who were aged between 10 and 15 after he tried to lure them to have a sexual relationship with him and marry them while he was in Phnom Penh,” he said.
After Comacho came to APLE’s attention, Samleang Seila alleged he fled to Sihanoukville, where he established a sexual relationship with the 13-year-old.
He added APLE also had testimony from a 10-year-old Phnom Penh girl, stating Comacho had attempted to develop a sexual relationship with her but was thwarted by the child’s parents.
Comacho’s profile on a social networking site contains photos of him socialising with young Cambodian children and states that he visits the country every year from November to April.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY REBECCA PUDDY
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