An immigration police officer who was arrested on Saturday for drunkenly firing his service handgun on a mango plantation in Kandal province was released back into his unit on Sunday.
Leng Socheat, 32, fired his Interior Ministry-issued pistol nine times while drunk, Uk Heisela, chief of investigations at the ministry’s immigration department, had said on Sunday.
Touch Ynan, the province’s deputy military police commander, said Mr. Socheat was released by the military police—who arrested him in Kompong Svay commune—back to his unit at its deputy chief’s request.
“His unit contacted us in order to take him back to continue with the procedures,” Mr. Ynan said, explaining that the officer would be punished internally, rather than through the law.
“If we shoot with the aim of threatening, we face a criminal sentence,” Mr. Ynan said. “No people have complained that he threatened or harmed them.”
Immigration police could not be reached for comment.
