Pov Panhapich, the popular singer and television host who was shot in Phnom Penh on Friday, now has limited movement in her right hand but is otherwise unable to move her body, her older sister said Wednesday.
The singer, who was shot in the neck and hip Friday morning and is currently breathing through a respirator at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, has been advised by doctors not to attempt to speak yet for health reasons, Pov Sophany, 37, said in an interview.
Security has been tightened at the hospital because a number of Cambodians—some of them impersonating relatives—have attempted to visit Pov Panhapich, she said.
“Doctors were afraid of…any bad attempt on her,” Pov Sophany said, adding that family members have been issued special passes enabling them to visit the 23-year-old singer.
The family is spending between $400 and $500 every day on medical bills for the singer, she said. “It is a big deal for my family that we cannot afford to pay.” If no more donations are received, the family will have to sell land to cover the cost of medical bills, Pov Sophany said.
Phnom Penh Municipal Police have provided more than $1,200 to help pay for the singer’s medical care, and several fellow performers have contributed $100.
Pov Sophany said that her sister telephoned her immediately after she was shot on Norodom Boulevard. “She said, ‘Help me, I was robbed.’”
Police have said they do not know what prompted the shooting, but have ruled out robbery.
Deputy National Police Commissioner Mao Chandara Wednesday referred questions about the case to Mok Chito, Interior Ministry penal police chief, who could not be reached for comment.
