Three Interior Police, RCAF Officer Arrested In Kidnapping Case
National Police director-general Hok Lundy has warned Phnom Penh municipality police officials he is displeased that they recently arrested three of his on-duty senior officials and accused them of kidnapping.
“Municipal military police arresting police officials from the interior department is a serious misconduct and cannot be forgiven,” Hok Lundy said. “This arrest disrespects the national police of the Interior Ministry.”
He said the three Interior policemen were working undercover to try to track down a counterfeit money-trafficking suspect.
The arrests of the three Interior policemen and a senior RCAF official were made Wednesday after the victim’s family complained that he was being held for ransom by four men. The family said two of the kidnappers wore the uniforms of a Ministry of Interior police captain and lieutenant colonel.
When reached by telephone, senior municipal military police officials declined comment except to say it was a mistaken arrest and that three of the suspects were all handed over to the Ministry of Interior within a few hours. The RCAF suspect was held at municipal military police headquarters until discussions were held with his commander, according to Phnom Penh military police.
“The national military police commander and the RCAF commander should warn or fine the municipal military police,” Hok Lundy said.
Sao Sokha, national commander of the military police, said he had not received a request from Hok Lundy to take action against the municipal military police.
Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara said Sunday he did not want to comment on the arrests.
Senior government officials, including some in the National Police Department, were accused late last year of benefiting from the trafficking of hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal Chinese through Cambodia.
Under orders from Chea Sophara, hundreds of illegal Chinese were rounded up and deported. Government officials also were accused of selling illegal immigrants Cambodian passports to travel to third countries
