The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday charged a National Military Police colonel with illegally using a weapon after clashes Friday between opposition election campaigners and partygoers at the suspect’s villa in Chamkar Mon district, a court official said.
“The court charged the owner of the house [Khy Kimlon] with using a weapon illegally, and acquitted a bodyguard,” municipal prosecutor Meas Chanpiseth said of the two men, both military police officials detained by their fellow officers after shots were fired on Friday.
“The court also charged four or five CNRP [Cambodia National Rescue Party] supporters, whose names are as yet unknown, with destroying property—three cars—by throwing stones,” he said, declining to elaborate on what action the court was taking against the CNRP supporters.
Pou Davy, deputy commander of the Phnom Penh Military Police said Mr. Kimlon was still being held in the city’s military police, headquarters last night.
“[Today], the court will send Mr. Khy Kimlon to be put in jail but we’re not sure if he’ll go to Prey Sar or P.J. prison,” Mr. Davy said.
Mr. Davy said Ung Chanthan, a bodyguard for Mr. Kimlon who had originally tried to take the blame for the shooting for his boss, was released because he was not involved in any violence.
CNRP National Assembly candidate for Phnom Penh Ly Ry denied that activists had been to blame for any damage done on Friday night.
“It is injustice that the court charged our activists because everything was provoked by a group of people with the house’s owner,” he said.
Mr. Ry argued that if any stones were thrown, it would only have been in response to threats by the people inside the villa, some of whom were armed with AK-47s and sticks.
“The charges against our activists is to break the spirit of CNRP supporters and is politically motivated,” he said.
