Three Russians accused of threatening a boatman with a knife and forcing him and his five fellow crew members overboard near Sihanoukville last month will be questioned today, a prison official said yesterday.

Russian businessman Sergei Polonsky, 40, Alexander Karachinsky, 25, and Konstantin Baglay, 25, have been in prison since being arrested on December 30 and charged with intentional violence and illegal detention.

Tan Nareth, deputy director of the Preah Sihanouk provincial prison, said Investigating Judge Sar Lina would visit the three Russians in their cell today to quiz them about the allegations against them.

“The court has informed us that they will come to question the men on Wednesday afternoon at 2pm,” he told the Post.

The alleged victims dropped their complaint last week after accepting a combined $20,000 in compensation.

Despite this, they freely answered questions about the incident in court on Monday.

Court officials have said the Russians will not be allowed to apply for bail until Lina has finished investigating.

 

To contact the reporter on this story: Cheang Sokha at [email protected]