Police in Pursat City arrested a man on Tuesday evening for allegedly raping his 8-year-old niece, who he had been asked to look after—along with her two brothers—while her parents were away at their farm for five days.
Pursat City police chief Chhorn Rith said on Wednesday that the girl’s 32-year-old uncle was arrested at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening in Loloak Sar commune, three days after the 8-year-old’s parents returned home and subsequently reported the attack to police.
“The suspect raped his niece while their parents went to take care of their farm,” he said, adding that the victim had taken three days to tell her parents about the rape because she was scared.
“The victim told her parents…[her uncle] had raped her multiple times,” he said.
Mr. Rith said that the victim had been sent to hospital to be examined, and that if doctors confirmed the rape, which the uncle has denied, he would be sent to court to face charges.
The police chief said the victim’s parents often left their three children with the suspect and his wife when they went to their farm about 100 km away.
