Authorities are hunting for suspects after an official from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology was shot dead in his car on Saturday night in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district.

District police chief Yom Saran said the victim, Soeun Panith, who is the deputy head of the legislation office for the Tonle Sap authority at the ministry, was about 60 metres from his home in Kakab commune when he was shot three times just before 10pm.

Saran said preliminary enquiries suggested the suspect or suspects had waited for the 28-year-old official.


“This is not a robbery case,” Saran said, noting none of the victim’s property had been stolen.

Saran added that his officers, together with municipal police, were working hard to find a culprit.

Reached yesterday, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology spokesman Chan Youtha described Panith as a “gentleman” and said he was friendly with many of his co-workers, but added he knew little of his personal life.

“Let the authorities investigate,” he said. “We regret losing him.”