A carpenter working for a two-star army general was sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday for allegedly beating a man to death in Chroy Changvar district, while a military officer also thought to be involved in the beating is still at large, police said.

Seng Darith, a municipal penal police officer, said that carpenter Nuon Sok, 28, was arrested Saturday evening after allegedly beating victim Chey Bunthoeun, 40 – who died of his wounds – after an argument.

Military officer and bodyguard Men Morn, 30, is thought to have badly beaten Bunthoeun’s younger brother, Chey Sopheak, 30, a Prek Tasek commune police officer, Darith added.

“They were preliminarily accused by police of committing an aggravated violent act,” he said yesterday.

“The suspect Nuon Sok now was still being questioned by the prosecutor,” he said. “Police now are still working hard to arrest Men Morn.”

According to a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity, Bunthoeun had driven his car past plots of land owned by Major General Vong Khan Sarith of Brigade 70. Bunthoeun’s car kicked up dust, which blew into Khan Sarith’s house, angering some bodyguards there, and prompting an argument. Bunthoeun called his brother Sopheak, who arrived and was allegedly attacked by Sok and Morn. Bunthoeun died in hospital of a broken neck.

Court spokesman Ly Sophana, and Khan Sarith could not be reached yesterday.