AUSTRALIAN travel identity Trevor Lake, who was imprisoned in Cambodia four years ago over allegations of having sex with underage girls (TD 08 Aug 2014), has been granted a full pardon.
Lake, who had been sharing a cell with Australian journalist James Ricketson for most of last year, told TD his legal team had been finally able to present his case to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who declared there was no evidence & ordered his release effective immediately.
“So life starts afresh,” Lake said.
Lake’s roles in the local industry included heading up The Travel Corporation’s former Asian specialist business Classic Oriental Tours, after which he established Discover Asia, on-selling to the McLachlan Travel Group when he relocated to Cambodia in 2013.
Lake said during his battle with the Cambodian legal system, which aimed to expose a local charity as “corrupt and criminal” had resulted in his being framed and convicted of “underage sex”.
He said both of his accusers later signed statements that they had been promised “a lot of money” if they lied about their age, while the charity no longer operates in the country.
Lake said he had learnt that “no matter how distressed and disgusted you may be with local issues – don’t get involved!”
He intends to remain in the country and marry his long-term girlfriend, with whom he runs a Siem Reap jewellery store.
Source: traveldaily