Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the ousted president of the co-ruling Funcinpec Party, had been summoned to court to answer allegations that he cheated his former party, according to his lawyer on Thursday.

Liv Sovanna told reporters that the Phnom Penh Municipal Court had issued summons to the prince, asking him to appear in court on Jan. 5 to defend himself.

The court charged Ranariddh last week with abuse of confidence, after Funcinpec filed a lawsuit to accuse him of selling the headquarters' real estate without the party's permission and pocketing the 3.6 million U.S. dollars from the sale.

The prince dismissed the allegations. He is due in Cambodia from France via Malaysia on Friday or Saturday to confront the charge.

Ranariddh, son of former King Norodom Sihanouk, could be sentenced up to five years in jail if found guilty.

Funcinpec elected Sihanouk's son-in-law Keo Puth Rasmey as new president on Oct. 18 to replace Ranariddh, on grounds that he stayed overseas too long to neglect party affairs and could not cooperation with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Source: Xinhua