Two village officials from Oddar Meanchey province filed complaints on Friday against one-star General Duong Sina, accusing him of using violence against them and two other villagers, though Military Police yesterday said the general appeared to have fled.

Thnol Kaeng Village Chief Muth Morn and Ou’Tamaeng Deputy Village Chief Long Buntheng allege that the altercation took place on Thursday as they attempted to investigate another incident in which Sina allegedly beat two villagers unconscious in Ou’Tamaeng village for spraying pesticides on their own farmland. Sina and a group of soldiers then allegedly beat Morn and Buntheng while threatening to shoot them.

Anlong Veng District Military Police Commander Nguon Thearith dispatched officers on Sunday to arrest Sina, but the general could not be found.

“We are finding the witnesses and collecting more information on the suspect, and preparing this case to go to the Oddar Meanchey Provincial Court next week,” Thearith said.

According to Morn and Buntheng’s complaint, Dina may have been acting on behalf of the Tumring Rubber and Data Rubber companies operating in Anlong Veng commune. Morn and Buntheng say 120 families in Anlong Veng commune are currently engaged in a land dispute with the companies, which they accuse of employing soldiers to seize land.

Oddar Meanchey Prosecutor Kan Ya said that he had received information about the incident but not the complaint itself, as Thearith’s investigation is still underway.