Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Francois Chateau, 48, is led from court Thursday. He was arrested in connection with the armed robbery of a Cambodia-Asia Bank branch in Boeung Keng Kang III.

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court on Thursday charged a French national with robbery and the illegal use of a weapon in connection with the robbery of a Phnom Penh bank earlier this week, a court official said Thursday.

Francois Chateau, 48, was arrested on Monday in Chamkarmon district’s Boeung Keng Kang III commune after allegedly stealing nearly US$300 from a Cambodia-Asia Bank branch in an armed holdup.

Court prosecutor Sok Kolyan said that if convicted, Chateau could face a sentence of between five and 10 years in prison for the robbery, as well as an additional six months to two years for the illegal use of a weapon charge.

“The man confessed to the two charges [in court], and had confessed already at the police station,” he said.

A commune police official who asked not to be named said Wednesday that during the robbery, Chateau had pointed a handgun at a security guard and ordered him inside the branch. Chateau then proceeded to point the gun at two cashiers before snatching the cash and fleeing, the official said.

He was arrested later that evening after bank employees alerted police.