A local journalist and a forestry officer who were arrested by military police forces in Kratie province last week for beating a man and firing a gun into the air were released on Monday as part of a compromise between the victim and his attackers.

Srey Vutha, deputy commander of the Kratie provincial military police, said that Khuth Khy, a reporter for Today News, and Seng Chantarun, director of the Sandan Forestry Administration, were let go after they confessed to their mistake and were “educated” by the military police.

The agreement, he said, was brokered between the accused, the police, the victim, and the provincial governor. The police did not say what conditions, if any, pertained to the contract that all parties signed.

Khy and Chantarun were arrested after they shot three bullets into the air and roughed up Tith Phally in Keng Prasath village on September 14.

According to police, Phally, 32, was carrying two pieces of luxury wood via his boat in order to make a bed frame for his own use.

When he was docking at the bank of a river in the province’s Sambo district, he was confronted and checked by the accused journalist and forestry officer.

“They had checked the victim’s boat and attempted to handcuff him in order to export some money from him,” said Chung Sokunthea, Commander of the Sambo district military police.

“To stop the victim from protesting, Seng Chantarun fired three bullets into the air, and Khuth Khy used an oar to beat the victim, wounding him,” he added.

They were then arrested and detained for questioning, but no charges were filed because of the agreement between parties.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]