Interior Minister Sar Kheng transferred Preah Sihanouk provincial prison director Pich Veasna to a different position within the ministry less than a week after a pre-trial detainee died in the provincial hospital and another prisoner escaped, according to a letter seen by the Post on Friday.

The letter, signed by Sar Kheng on February 21, confirmed the transfer of Pich Veasna to deputy director of the correctional department at the ministry’s general department of prisons, with former deputy director Sam Sophal assigned to Pich Veasna’s position.

On February 15, robbery suspect Yon Dara, 20, died after experiencing serious diarrhoea, while 21-year-old prisoner Sroun Chanthy, who was serving a four-year sentence for attempted murder, escaped.

A prison official who asked not to be named said the swift transfer took place after Pich Veasna was found to have made mistakes due to poor management.