An assistant to Interior Minister Sar Kheng was fired this month following claims that he attempted to rape an office intern, officials said yesterday.

Kong Vimean, Kampong Thom deputy governor, said the Ministry of Interior sent a letter to the provincial hall on August 6 officially firing Uk Bun Thoeurn, Kheng’s assistant and a provincial deputy administration director.

“I saw the letter from the Interior Ministry about terminating his position as [Kheng’s] assistant,” Vimean said, adding that the letter did not specify any reasons for the dismissal.

Ith Sothea, chief prosecutor at Kampong Thom provincial court, said that in July a woman interning at the provincial hall accused Bun Thoeurn of attempted rape and filed a complaint with police, who sent the case to the court.

“The police and the court have been investigating the case for a month. We have already questioned them both,” he said.

Bun Thoeurn and an Interior Ministry spokesman could not be reached yesterday.