A military police official from Oddar Meanchey province was charged with intentionally killing a 16-year-old youth by Siem Reap Provincial Court on Wednesday, a court official said Thursday.
Officer Hor Thy, 28, allegedly killed Seng Phorn by crashing his car into him in Oddar Meanchey’s Trapaing Prasat district, said Deputy Prosecutor Ton Seihak Dechak.
“[Hor Thy’s] statement says that he crashed into the victim unintentionally,” he said.
According to Puth Sarann, Oddar Meanchey deputy military police commander, Hor Thy, who is a district military police official, crashed into Seng Phorn on Sunday night while the young man was fleeing arrest for alleged involvement in a fight.
Seng Phorn “ran away and fell into a hole,” Puth Sarann said. Hor Thy crashed into that hole unintentionally, and then he and two other military police officials fled the scene because they were so shocked by what had happened, he said.
Srey Naren, provincial coordinator with local rights group Adhoc, said there was no evidence that Seng Phorn was hit by a car.
The victim’s left hand had been handcuffed, his neck was broken and his skull damaged, he said. “There was no sign of a car running over him. We are still suspicious” as to the cause of death, Srey Naren said.
The victim’s parents filed a complaint against the three military police officials who had tried to arrest him for alleged involvement in a fight after a dance at a pagoda on Sunday, said In Lorn, district deputy police chief.
“There are no witnesses yet saying that the victim died of a car crash,” said In Lorn.
“From my investigation, the military police statement is not appropriate,” he said.
The Siem Reap court is handling the case as Oddar Meanchey has no provincial court.
