A buddist monk was charged yesterday with raping two girls and sexually assaulting two others he had hired to clear grass from outside his temporary home in Oddar Meanchey province.

Police arrested Saing Chork, 39, in Samrong town’s Kounkriel commune last Friday after complaints from the families     of four girls aged between eight and 11.

Samrong town police chief Noun Eth said Saing Chork was a monk from Banteay Meanchey province’s Phnom Srok district who had moved to stay in a pagoda in Kounkriel commune before relocating to  short-term accommodation nearby.

Saing Chork had raped two of the four victims and sexually assaulted the other two, Noun Eth said.

“The victims told police that the defrocked monk had raped them [this month], but they did not know the exact date,” he said.

Police said the suspect had lured one of the girls into the forest by telling her that was where he would pay her.

“He raped two victims on different days and threatened to kill the girls if they shouted for help,” Noun Eth said.