Ostap Doroshenko arrived in Phnom Penh on Tuesday to begin his new position in the Interior Ministry’s personnel department after being transferred from Preah Sihanouk province, where he was a captain in the provincial immigration police.
Mr. Doroshenko, 36, the son of Russian businessman Nikolai Doroshenko, who remains jailed on fraud charges in relation to business disputes with deported businessman Sergei Polonsky, said he was not sure why National Police Commissioner Neth Savoeun requested his transfer and added that he would have preferred to stay in Sihanoukville, where he has a house.
“I do not know why they transferred me to the personnel department,” he said when asked if he thought the transfer was related to past scuffles between his father and Mr. Polonsky.
Provincial police chief Chuon Narin said such redeployments were standard practice.
“I do not know [the reason],” he said.
“Police are sometimes transferred from Phnom Penh to provinces and vice versa and it is normal.”
