Police and court officials have come forward with complaints against an RCAF commander, accusing him of torturing a farmer at a Kratie province military base while detaining him on false charges, officials said Monday.
Sun Heng, commander of first company Border Battalion 204, is accused of having ordered his men to torture Seng Horn, a farmer in Snuol district, during his detention at the military base, said Penh Vibol, Kratie provincial court prosecutor. Penh Vibol added that Seng Horn was reportedly restrained using a chain, during his detention the night of
Oct 9 until he was finally sent to police the following afternoon.
When he appeared in court Oct 13, Seng Horn was released for lack of evidence. According to Sun Heng, the farmer attempted to kill him earlier this month, police and court officials said.
“Sun Heng forced police to send Seng Horn to court, warning that if we did not send the suspect to court, police would be accused of being biased toward bad people,” said Houn Chhoun, Snuol district police chief. He added that Sun Heng arrived at the police station with two other soldiers.
“We have no evidence to show Seng Horn is a suspect…. We were going to release him,” Houn Chhorn said. “We were worried [Seng Horn] would be in danger, because Sun Heng warned police not to release him,” he added.
Soldiers from Border Battalion 204 have also come under scrutiny recently for the apparent torture and subsequent death of soldier Ny Sok Rorn in August. Ny Sok Rorn’s widow reported that she found her husband severely beaten upon his return from the battalion base about a week before he died Aug 18.
“I am ordering police to investigate this new case, and I am also continuing to collect more information from people for the case of Ny Sok Rorn’s death,” Penh Vibol said.
