Preah Vihear provincial police arrested a man on November 16 in connection with raping his two step-daughters at a remote area in Sangkum Thmei district’s Roanakse commune, Preah Vihear province.

Sangkum Thmei district police chief Chuon Moeun told The Post the 54-year-old suspect was a farmer. The victims are an 11-year-old girl who dropped out of school and a nine-year-old girl who is a second-grade student.

He said he is still questioning the suspect and will send him to provincial police when he is finished.

“My officers are questioning the suspects and the victims to make a report and send it to the provincial police. The suspect confessed to committing the crime,” he said.

Moeun said that the victims’ mother divorced her ex-husband and later married the suspect. He said the mother never suspected that her new husband abused her daughters.

The older daughter said her stepfather had raped her since she was nine. But he always threatened to kill her if she told her mother or sister.

Moeun continued that the daughter waited for her parents to go to the fields and then ran to tell the deputy village chief the story.

Moeun said the deputy village chief then reported it to the Roanakse commune police who reported to him. After receiving an order from the province police, he led officers to the remote village.

“My officers arrived in the village in the evening. We left the suspect there for one night and on the morning of November 17 we brought him to the Sangkum Thmei district police,” he added.

The suspect allegedly told police he had raped his stepdaughter only once, on the night of November 11 at his home. As for his younger stepdaughter, he said he did not rape her. However, the older girl said her stepfather had raped her sister several times. The younger girl said her stepfather only touched her genitals.

“The evidence is based on the answers of the two girls and the confession of the suspect show there was indeed a crime,” Moeun said.