Sihanoukville police are investigating the possible involvement of a son of CPP President Chea Sim in an armed attack Sunday night, police officials said Tuesday.
Chea Thea, believed to be 21, and a group of bodyguards are suspected of using automatic weapons to damage the Lucky Beer Garden in Sihanoukville town at around 9 pm Sunday, Sihanoukville Deputy Police Chiefs Tak Vanna and Yin Bunnath both said.
They said the incident followed the visitor’s dispute with the owner. No one was injured, Yin Bunnath said.
Kunthea Borei, chief of protocol for Chea Sim, said Tuesday that she was aware of the allegations against Chea Thea but could offer no more information. Chea Sim, also the Senate president, is investigating the reports about his son, she said.
Chea Thea returned to the capital early Monday, escorted by three trucks of bodyguards, who went to Sihanoukville from Phnom Penh after the incident, Sihanoukville police said Tuesday.
Owner of the Lucky Beer Garden, Lim Bun, is the son of prominent businessman Lim Bun Leng.
Using three AK-47s, the group fired multiple rounds of bullets into the beer garden causing major damage, Yin Bunnath said.
“They shot to destroy everything in the bar…then they went to stay with the third governor of Sihanoukville Sborng Sarath,” Tak Vanna said.
The incident comes just weeks after Nhim Pisey, a nephew of Prime Minister Hun Sen, was jailed for having a gun in public.
