Ranariddh to stay in Cambodia to face judges

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the ousted president of Cambodia's co-ruling Funcinpec Party, will not flee the country, his spokesman said here Wednesday, albeit his former party demanded his arrest.

Ranariddh will not run from his lovely country, said Muth Chantha, spokesman of the prince's Norodom Ranariddh Party, which the prince formed last year after being dumped as head of the Funcinpec Party in October.

Earlier in the week, Funcinpec issued a statement urging authorities to arrest Ranariddh and seize his passport in a bid to keep him from evading various court complaints.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged Ranariddh last month with abuse of confidence after Funcinpec filed a lawsuit, accusing him of selling the Funcinpec party headquarters without permission and pocketing 3.6 million dollars from the sale.

Ranariddh will appear before a judge on Friday to try to counter the accusations, Muth Chantha told reporters.

Ranariddh, son of former king Norodom Sihanouk, returned here on Sunday from France to try and resurrect his political career ahead of commune councils election in April 2007.

Source: Xinhua