A sacked Melbourne-based Buddhist monk, who is in a legal battle in connection with his removal from his temple, has been accused of shopping at a sex top shop and breaking his celibacy vow.
According to The Age, the committee of the Khmer Buddhist Temple Association, which runs the Eysan Meanchey Temple in Thomastown, has been trying to oust head monk, Venerable Chhet, after a series of complaints against him emerged. As per the allegations before the court, he breached monastic discipline rules as he had a sexual relationship with a woman and took money and donations that were meant for the association. Chhet denied engaging in sexual intercourse or stealing money while he was a monk.
On Monday, he made an application to the Supreme Court to try to stop TV show, "A Current Affair," from airing a story about the case. A preview of the story was played to the court, in which the spotlight was on him being “caught shopping at Sexyland." The monk, who bought a house and claimed to own a $45,000 Lexus, allegedly spent $276.85 at the sex toy shop in January 2018.
According to Chhet's bank records, he reportedly received more than $235,000 over five years despite having "no apparent access to cash funds other than donations made to the temple," reported 9Now.
Chhet’s lawyer, Paul Hayes, called the report salacious, and said that a suppression order was required on the allegation, to stop the broadcast because it would risk the monk’s safety and the administration of justice. The lawyer said, “The overall tenor of the report is about the Sexyland issue and nothing else about this case." Hayes added that Chhet denied going to the adult toy shop and there was no direct evidence like CCTV footage or witnesses to prove he had been there.
A suppression order was not granted as the Supreme Court justice saw no risk to Chhet’s safety in broadcasting of the program.
Meanwhile, a Supreme Court judge gave Chhet his monastic marching orders in an interim judgement, sacking him and ordering he leave the temple, until a further trial is scheduled. He is required to leave the temple by Friday.
Shocked by the allegation, President of the Cambodian Association of Victoria, Youhorn Chea, said that he had not seen anything like the case in four decades in Australia. He added that if Chhet did something, he can't continue to be a Buddhist monk. "How should someone wear the robe - the yellow robe – and go to Sexyland? It's not possible."
