Local rights group Adhoc on Sunday asked the Mondolkiri police to forward to the provincial court a case lodged by the NGO against a company they claim attempted to kill one of their staff last month.
Adhoc lodged the complaint in early January after one of its investigators, Sok Ratha, was almost run down by a car he claims was being driven by an employee of Villa Development—a company villagers in Sen Monorom city said was illegally clearing land in the area for a rubber plantation.
Ny Chakrya, Adhoc’s head of human rights and legal aid, said Sunday that police who had been investigating the case were trying to get the NGO and company to settle it out of court, but that Adhoc was determined it go to trial.
“We demand the police send it to the prosecutor, we won’t negotiate because it is a criminal case of attempted murder,” he said.
Police last week questioned the suspect, named as Pen Sokhom.
Nhem Vanny, provincial police chief, said Sunday that police had found no evidence of attempted murder, and Adhoc and community representatives had been on the land without permission.
He said if Adhoc refused to negotiate he would send the case on to the court.
