A penal police officer was charged with attempted murder yesterday after allegedly shooting a commune police chief in the chest.

In what his family said was a drug-driven frenzy, Sin Sereysothea Thirith, 30, allegedly shot Wat Phnom commune police chief Un Sam Ath last Friday.

Investigating judge Pech Vicheathor said Thirith had been charged with attempted murder, illegal use of a weapon and drug possession.

The victim’s wife, Keo Makara, 35, said the charges were fitting for the crime and her husband was recovering. “He intended to kill my husband when my husband just went there to help him,” she said.

Thirith’s boss, Phnom Penh penal police chief Eng Sophea, laughed off the suggestion his officers were abusing drugs and denied knowledge of what Thirith’s father described as a long-standing drug habit.

“If we knew he was using drugs, we would have fired him,” Sophea said. “There are no police officers using drugs.”

Municipal police chief Choun Sovann said Thirith had “no right to have the gun with him” as he was off-duty.