A military officer was charged at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday for allegedly pistol-whipping a man to whom he owed money, military police said.

Captain Seng Phearum, deputy chief of the municipal penal military police, said that Royal Cambodian Armed Forces officer Krouch An, 50, who worked in the communications command at the Ministry of National Defence, was charged with “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances”.

An was arrested on Friday evening by Por Sen Chey district military police after the alleged altercation with businessman Taing Vuthy, 35.

“He got angry with the victim for stopping his car while he was driving and pulling him out of the car to demand the money he owed,” Phearum said. “He then took his pistol from his waist and beat the victim in the head, causing him to get seriously wounded. He also pointed his pistol at the victim’s head and threatened to kill him.”

Phearum said that Vuthy told police that An owed him $500 for goods he had bought on credit from his shop months ago.

He added that An was still being questioned by the municipal court investigating judge, and might be sent to Prey Sar prison today.

Neither An nor Ly Sophanna, a vice prosecutor and spokesman at the court, could be reached for comment.