A 41-year-old Japanese national was arrested by Siem Reap Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection police yesterday and charged with sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl.

The unit’s chairman, Doung Thavery, told the Post police had arrested the man and sent him to provincial court after the victim filed a complaint.

“Police questioned him, and we found he was involved with this matter,” she said, adding that the suspect was also questioned at court by deputy prosecutor Heng Peng.

According to police, the alleged pedophile has been living in Siem Reap for the past five years and renting a room in Taphul village next to the victim and her older sister.

Police confiscated a pair of underpants and a towel that the victim claimed the assailant had used to cover her head as he abused her. 

To contact the reporter on this story: Thik Kaliyann at [email protected]