The Battambang Provincial Court on Thursday charged two men over random attacks on innocent civilians which left one dead in Sangke district last month.

Provincial court spokeswoman Tieng Sambo said the two men were charged with violence with aggravating circumstances.

“A prosecutor already charged them and sent them to an investigating judge for further action,” she said.

Battambang provincial deputy police chief Chet Vanny identified them as Tith Rozet, 23, and Moeun Theara, 18, both from Ek Phnom district in Battambong province.

He said police are searching to arrest other suspects who were involved in the attacks. He said police know their identities, but cannot reveal their names before their arrest.

“We sent two to the court and a prosecutor questioned them. And I am also trying to find their accomplices. So, give me a little more time to do this work,” he said.

Sangke district police chief Sun Sovann said the two accused men have confessed to being drug users who randomly attacked two people without cause or reason.

He said that on January 29 at 7:00pm, they drove a motorbike to visit Battambang town and took a sword with them, which they used to stab one man.

The man suffered minor injuries and the two accused fled the scene to Sangke district on a motorbike.

There, they attacked another man on the street with the sword for no reason, stabbing him a few times.

The victim was identified as Sam Keo, 17, who suffered serious injuries and died on the way to the hospital.

“The victim was just a student, but they stabbed him without reason. There was no argument,” Sovann said.

He said after the attack, police went to intervene and arrest the two suspects.

According to their confessions, they did not know the victim and they had no argument with him. They intended to stab him with the sword they often carried with them when travelling, he noted.

He said police tested their urine and it was positive for drugs.