Four journalists who say they were chased by a machete-wielding man on Friday as they attempted to investigate reports of smuggling across the Chambok border checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province filed a complaint with the provincial court yesterday accusing the man of attempted murder.
Pho Bunthorn, a reporter from Hang Meas television who was part of the group, said the complaint was filed against Thin Phanin, 38, who he alleged had chased them through a cassava plantation threatening to kill them with a machete.
“We accuse this individual, Thin Phanin, of attempting to commit a crime because he attempted to chop the journalists,” he said.
On Sunday, Mr. Bunthorn said that Mr. Phanin was a police official, a claim that was denied by Sarm Sey, chief of the Chambok checkpoint, who said the man was the owner of the plantation.
Mr. Sey said that he would file a counter-complaint against the journalists if they accused him of involvement in the skirmish.
“I will file a complaint with the court against the four journalists if they accuse me of giving orders to the cassava plantation owner to attack them,” he said.
“I am not worried about them filing a complaint because I did nothing wrong.”
