The National Police on Monday announced the hunt for four men wanted for separate cases of rape and murder, following the issuance of provincial court arrest warrants.

According to an announcement posted on the website of the Ministry of Interior, the criminal police department of the National Police had requested the public to report any sighting of the fugitives to authorities.

Two of the convicts identified as Loy Ley, 18 and Phan Phanet, 20, are residents of Chong Cheach commune, Dambe district in Tboung Khmum province. Both were sentenced to 12 years in prison for murder.

The other two were identified as Say Sorn, 52, a resident of Soutip commune, Cheung Prey district. He was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for murder, and Pen Sieng Laen, 18, a resident of Khpoap Ta Nguon commune, Stung Trang district, in Kampong Cham province who got seven years in prison for rape.

National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun told The Post on Tuesday that the announcement was made public because the fugitives were not associated with any group under investigation.

“We announced it because the convicts are on the run and the prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for them. The individuals also did not commit the crimes as a group,” Kim Khoeun said.

He said in some cases, the police do not make public appeals because the courts did not issue arrest warrants.

However, he said, in other cases, police would refrain from releasing public appeals when a crime had been committed by a group and their accomplices are yet to be arrested.

“If we made an announcement in such a case, it would be akin to stirring the grass to startle the snake,” he said.