Sexual assault

PHNOM Penh Municipal Court has charged a tour boat worker with raping a 5-year-old girl and remanded him in custody, officials said.

Wat Phnom commune police chief Un Sam Ath said that Sam Neang, 32, was arrested on Thursday after a complaint from the victim’s mother.

“We sent several police officials to the scene and arrested the suspect from a boat where he was hiding after the rape incident,” he said.

“The suspect confessed to raping the girl and [had previously] threatened that if her mother talked to other people or police officials, she would be killed.”

Daun Penh deputy district police chief Em Saroeun said the court charged Sam Neang with rape on Saturday. He faces between 15 and 20 years in prison if found guilty.