Police in Kompong Cham province said yesterday they have arrested two men for the rape of two minors since Tuesday, while a third suspect in Takeo province remains at large after allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl on Aug 13.
Kompong Cham provincial court on Tuesday charged 23-year-old Ngan Theara for the rape of a 16-year-old pregnant girl in Dambe district on Aug 27, said Lanh Sathya, provincial penal police chief.
Mr Sathya said that Mr Theara carried the victim from her home in Seda commune while she was sleeping to a cassava field 50 meters away, beat her unconscious, then raped her.
“The court charged Mr Theara with rape and has sent him into pretrial detention,” he said.
In a separate case, Mr Sathya said that police on Wednesday arrested 22-year-old Neung Srors in Stung Trang district for the rape of a 7-year-old girl the day before.
The suspect had raped the victim at her home in Soupheas commune at about 1 pm while her parents were at work, Mr Sathya said.
“The suspect confessed that he did it…. [He] has now been detained in provincial police custody,” he said.
In Takeo province, police are on the hunt for a man who raped an 11-year-old girl in Kiri Vong district on Aug 13, said Ouk Song, Ang Prasat commune deputy police chief.
Preap Proeum, 73, is accused of raping the victim at her home.
“He fled the scene after the victim’s family members figured out what was happening,” Mr Sathya said.
In yet another case, Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday tried 45-year-old Sob Smael for the rape of a 6-year-old girl in Russei Keo district in March.
Deputy prosecutor Seang Sok said that a medical exam found no evidence of rape, and asked the court to change the charge to indecent assault of a minor.
In the courtroom, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the charge, and said he had never touched the girl.
Presiding Judge Chaing Sinat said he would announce the verdict on Sept 21.