Police Hunt for Commune Chief Who Punched Teen

A Phnom Penh commune chief accused of severely injuring a teenage security guard by punching him after a dispute over moving his car was being sought for arrest on Wednesday, police said.

“We are now searching for the commune chief and we will arrest him for questioning,” said Mao Soeut, a deputy Chbar Ampov district police chief.

“We invited the commune chief to come in for questioning at our police station on Wednesday, but he refused to come and fled.”

Hour Hout, the chief of Prek Pra commune, allegedly punched 19-year-old Meas Damdey so hard on Monday evening that he sent him head-first into a brick wall, causing brain damage, police said.

Mr. Hout went on the run after he “visited the victim at the Khmer Soviet Friendship hospital on Wednesday and learned that the victim had severe head injuries,” Mr. Soeut said.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court deputy prosecutor Top Chhunlong and municipal police chief Chuon Sovann ordered the arrest, he said.

Mr. Chhunlong hung up on a reporter when asked about the case.

General Sovann could not be reached.

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