Kampong Chhnang provincial police are investigating allegations that the chief of Kampong Tralach district police raped a 19-year-old grade 12 student, a charge the official denies.

Provincial police chief Prak Vuthy said yesterday that the student filed the complaint on Monday accusing , chief of Kampong Tralach district police, of raping her on July 11, and said Veasna had been summonsed for questioning.

“We are still investigating. We wonder why she did not file a complaint immediately,” the police chief said.

Sam Chankea, provincial coordinator for the rights group Adhoc, said that the victim visited his office on Monday.

“She came with family, and was crying. She did not say anything,” he said. “I saw a bruise on her face.

Her mother told me that the policeman hit her with his gun to threaten her not to tell the story to anyone.”

Veasna could not be reached yesterday, but a post on the National Police’s website said he told police that he and the young woman had been in a consensual relationship for about three weeks, and that the family had given their consent.