Family Free After Alleged Abuse of Child Workers

Three members of a wealthy family accused of abusing and holding captive an 18-year-old girl for eight years and her 12-year-old brother for two years in their Tuol Kok villa remained free Thursday as police said they are waiting for the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to decide whether to issue arrest warrants.

Soeung Hoeung, the patriarch of the family, was arrested at the family villa along with his cook and a security guard when police arrived with a search warrant on Wednesday. He was released later in the day after his lawyer told police he was in poor health.

The cook, Ky Tieng, and bodyguard, Yem Bun Thoeun, were questioned by police Thursday and are due to be sent to the municipal court today, said Eav Rith, a bureau chief in the Interior Military’s penal police department.

“Mr. Hoeung has not been questioned yet, but his lawyer has promised to take him to the police station when he is better,” Mr. Rith added.

However, Mr. Hoeung’s wife, Taing Sim Rong, and two sons, Soeung Ratha and Soeung Ratana, the latter of whom is accused of raping the girl, will remain free until the court issues an arrest warrant, he said.

Mr. Rith said he could not confirm local media reports that Mr. Ratana was a one-star general in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, but said that police discovered “military general and police uniforms and a Beretta pistol with many bullets when they searched the house on Tuesday.”

Police rescued the 18-year-old girl on Tuesday, a week after her mother finally lodged a complaint with police and a day after her 12-year-old brother had escaped.

Both children claim to have been subjected to sustained physical and mental abuse from the family.

Mr. Hoeung’s lawyer Meas Sithon on Thursday denied the accusations.

“I think the court will find my client did no wrong. I don’t know why police told the media, because it looks like they committed the crime before the court charged them,” Ms. Sithon said.

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