A man was arrested yesterday for raping a 16-year-old girl on Saturday night while they were fishing in Kampong Speu’s Oral district.

District police chief Buth Bunthoeun said that the victim filed a complaint on Sunday accusing her 33-year-old neighbour, Noun Theng, of raping her while they were fishing at a lake 500 metres away from their village in Sangke Satoap commune.

“In the complaint, she said the suspect had threatened to kill her if she dared to report the rape to her family or a villager,” Bunthoeun said, adding that Theng had admitted to the rape after his arrest but denied making the death threat.

In his statement, Theng said his decision-making was impaired as he had drunk about a litre of rice wine and had drunkenly decided to make use of their seclusion to rape the girl.

“After raping the victim, I felt guilty and persuaded her not to tell anyone and I would give her money,” he said. “I promised I will arrange a small ceremony to take her as my second wife if she is pregnant.”