San Sokhom, the son of a Kratie provincial military commander, handed himself to authorities in Kampong Cham on Monday. Thmey News
San Sokhom, the son of Kratie Military Police chief San Bunthan, handed himself to authorities on Monday over accusations he held two youths at gunpoint on March 18.
Sokhom’s surrender came only hours after Prime Minister Hun Sen warned he would remove Bunthan from his post if his son failed to appear.
Sokhom, a Kratie provincial Military Police officer, is accused of pointing a gun at two youths in Kampong Cham province’s Kampong Cham town last week.
He turned himself in to provincial Military Police headquarters at 2pm on Monday and was sent to provincial court for questioning by prosecutors, provincial court prosecutor Huot Vuthy told The Post.
“According to legal procedures, we detained him after questioning,” Vuthy said, adding that Sokhom will soon be charged for intentional acts of violence and making death threats at gunpoint.
Earlier in the day, Hun Sen warned Bunthan that he would be removed from his role as Kratie Military Police chief if his son failed to appear.
“If you love your son too much, you will have your position removed. I won’t do anything but remove you and sack you. How could your son have a gun? Did your son have the right to possess a gun?
“Ask him to appear. Don’t escape, don’t use your title and position to cover up the bad act of your son,” the prime minister said during a graduation ceremony for students from Phnom Penh International University.
On Sunday, provincial court prosecutor Hak Horn issued a summons for Sokhom to appear at provincial court on Tuesday as he allegedly threatened Van Chan Atith Panha, 25, and Ye Chanda, 28, with a gun in Kampong Cham town on March 18.
‘Put bullets into it’
Following the incident, the victims filed a complaint against Sokhom to provincial police.
The complaint, dated March 23, read: “On March 18, 2019, at 11:45pm, we were sitting in an online gaming house behind Veal Vong school in Kampong Cham town.
“While we were playing, suddenly San Sokhom arrived in his Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, white in colour and with an RCAF number plate, with two people.
“He stopped his car where we were playing, got out, pulled our shirt, took out a Glock handgun and put bullets into it before pointing it at us. When we went back to play games, Sokhom walked in and slapped us four times in the face and pointed a gun at us again.”
Sokhom’s father, Bunthan, told online news outlet Fresh News that his younger son San Sokvichea – a regular patron at the internet cafe – was the cause of the dispute.
He said Sokvichea is a gambling addict and pawned his necklace and motorcycle after losing money.
Consequently, Bunthan sent Sokhom to find his brother, who asked the victims in the internet parlour about the pawn shop.
Sokhom then allegedly assaulted the pair when they claimed to know nothing about it.
However, Chanda, one of the victims, told The Post that Sokhom was drunk and began the violent attack unprovoked.
He said he and Chan Atith Panha were not close friends with Sokvichea, but only knew him from playing online games.
“Maybe Sokhom was angry at his younger brother, but no one at the internet house asked his brother to pawn his things. His brother lost at gambling and decided to pawn the things himself.
“He came to beat us using his power, without reason or argument. He saw us and beat us immediately – not only me, he beat several people,” Chanda said.
‘Youths kicked’
National Military Police spokesperson Eng Hy said the police would not side with any officer that broke the law, adding that any measures taken against Sokhom will be ruled by the court.
“The measures are taken by the prosecutor. We follow the orders of the prosecutor as this is a criminal case,” he said.
On Saturday, a Facebook account under the name Marak Meach – son of Kao Sok An, Kampong Cham province deputy governor – posted a video showing Sokhom slapping, kneeing, kicking and pointing a gun at three youths.
Meach said the three victims in the video were his friends and asked for help from National Military Police chief Sao Sokha and Kampong Cham province governor Kuoch Chamroeun to bring Sokhom to justice.
