A 23-year-old man would today face court in Banteay Meanchey province after he was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl last Monday in O’Chrou district’s Koup commune, police officials said yesterday. O’Chrou District Police Chief Sar Chhong said that Chum Bros, 23, was arrested on Saturday after the girl’s family filed a complaint accusing him of raping her as she returned home from a party at a local pagoda at around 11pm. “The suspect blocked the girl’s way and held her in a nearby glade, where he raped her after she said she did not love him,” said Sar Chhong. He added that Chum Bros had confessed to raping the girl “because he loved her” and both families had sought to settle the case with district police. “Both families attempted to coordinate with each other to end the problem, but I never do that and I will send him to the court,” said Sar Chhong. Sith Los, director of the provincial anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection bureau, said that he had to check if the victim and suspect had agreed to have sex, but the victim could not consent because she was under 15 years old.
