A former commune police chief in Takeo province suspected of murdering a woman in March is on the run following news reports that he paid off the victim’s family not to file a complaint, according to police.
Sin Pov, the former police chief in Kiri Vong district’s Kiri Chung Koh commune, was seen arguing with San Yin, a 29-year-old karaoke parlor worker, in her home moments before she was shot dead with a police-issued K54 pistol.
Mr. Pov disappeared after the shooting, but returned to the commune in late August. Provincial police chief Ouk Samnang explained last month that Mr. Pov was no longer wanted for arrest because he had paid a $1,500 compensation to the victim’s family.
National Police spokesman Lieutenant General Kirth Chantharith weighed in on the case, saying that the court was wrong to let Mr. Pov remain free.
“Clearly, killing a person, a human being, cannot be compensated with money,” he said at the time.
But according to police, the provincial court still has not issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Pov and he is once again on the run.
“We will order our forces to search and arrest him if we have a warrant, but we cannot do anything without that order,” said Suon Phon, the deputy provincial police chief in charge of the case.
Plang Chhlam, director of the Takeo provincial court, declined to comment on the case. Chroeng Khmeo, the provincial prosecutor, said he was not aware of it.
Khun Vuthy, who replaced Mr. Pov as commune police chief, said his predecessor fled again soon after reports of him paying off the victim’s family were published.
“After the news that Mr. Sin Pov was guilty was published in the newspapers and shared on Facebook, he fled his home. Nobody knows where he went,” he said.
