Forestry Administration officials in Kratie province’s Snuol district will send five of 10 suspects to the provincial court on Friday after Military Police stopped five vans transporting illegal timber on Tuesday.
Snuol Forestry Administration chief Oeung Sinang told The Post that Military Police released the other five suspects after determining they were not involved in the case.
Kratie provincial Military Police commander San Buntha declined to comment on Thursday.
“I cannot talk about this with reporters,” he said.
But Fresh News quoted Snuol district Military Police commander Lon Bunthol as saying on Thursday that the operation was ordered by Buntha.
Provincial Forestry Administration director Nuon Pov Ratana declined to comment on Thursday.
In a separate case on Wednesday, the Mondulkiri provincial Department of Environment issued a clarification concerning a 28-year-old woman named Say Sreydav from Koh Nhek district’s Sre Sangkum commune. Sreydav accused Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary ranger Chhay Phana and his colleagues of using violence against her on Tuesday after she was accused of illegal timber transport.
The department said at the time, the rangers stopped a vehicle driven by a 21-year-old and Sreydav in Pech Chreada district’s Pou Chrei commune. It said the driver was prepared to escape when the rangers stopped them.
When the van stopped, it said the driver threatened to drop timber on the rangers’ car. At that time, Sreydav insulted the officers and said she was prepared to burn the evidence.
She fled but ran into a lamppost, inflicting the injuries on herself. She then accused the rangers of harming her, the department said.
Local media quoted her as saying: “My van transported [wooden] doors from Koh Nhek district to the scene. Then the ranger intercepted the van. We had a scuffle and I got injured.”
The department said the woman and driver are active timber traders and transporters.
