Preah Sihanouk provincial Military Police sent a woman and two men to the local court on Wednesday for allegedly holding an elderly man against his will over a land dispute in Kampong Seila district’s Stung Chhay Khang Cheung village on Monday.

Keo Sophal, deputy provincial Military Police commander, said the three accused were sent for further legal proceedings in accordance with an order from the provincial court’s prosecutor.

A dispute between the two parties over land was behind the action, Sophal said.

Bun Yuthea, 64, was riding his motorbike inside the disputed area on Monday when the three stopped him and took the key. The victim filed a complaint with the district Military Police.

The elderly man was threatened with a cleaver, ordered to stop and held around 30 minutes for taking the bike across the disputed land, according to a report by local media outlet CPC-news.

“The suspects should not have done this. Why did they think they could stop [the victim] like this when they are just normal people? It violated the law."

“My officials have sent the three to court. An attempt at compromise [to end the case] from the [accused was rejected] because the complainant asked [us] to follow the law,” he said.

A district military police official, who asked not to be named, identified the accused as Sam Sokhon, 58; her son Ran Daluch, 36; and her nephew Puth Nou, 27. They all live in the village.