SINGAPORE - The Singaporean man who was arrested for alleged fraud at Phnom Penh International Airport last Friday (June 23) voluntarily went to Cambodia to clarify matters, his father told Shin Min Daily News on Monday (June 26).

Mr Eng Wei Khiong has also hired two lawyers to defend himself.

Local media reports said the 34-year-old was arrested as he tried to flee the country. He has been accused of cheating more than 100 victims out of US$3 million (S$4.2 million).

Mr Eng's father told Shin Min Daily News: "He went to Cambodia to prepare for the opening ceremony of another company and address this matter. He also intended to request for his business partner to return embezzled funds."

"Who knew that he would he would be arrested at the airport, with the blame pushed to him?"he asked.

His father also clarified that Mr Eng was not a director of Securecom Media Co. Ltd, although the company was set up by Mr Eng, his friends and one Cambodian man.

Mr Eng is a director of real estate firm SC Capital.

Mr Eng's wife told Shin Min that her husband was innocent. "We have not been able to contact him and can only rely on friends in Cambodia to find out what is happening."

Chief of the Cambodian Interior Ministry's criminal department's serious crimes bureau Mr Chiv Vibol said that Mr Eng was being questioned by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

He told reporters from the Khmer Times: "We sent (Eng) to court, but the deputy prosecutor has not finished questioning him yet."

This was confirmed by a spokesman for the court, who declined to comment further.

Mr Dara Sopanha, a lawyer who is representing the victims, said that Mr Eng asked them to deposit up to US$10,000 as investments in his company, in exchange for large amounts of returns.

However, the returns never materialised.

Mr Sopanha said: "We asked the court to take action against him based on the law."