Police on Friday afternoon were investigating, but thus far discounting, reports that gunmen chased and fired a shot at a staff member of the pro-Funcinpec Ta Prohm FM 90.5 radio station on Friday morning.
Keo Sopheak, a technician at Ta Prohm radio, was not injured in the alleged attack, said Funcinpec and radio station officials, who accused investigating police officers of not taking the attack report seriously.
On Oct 18, two gunmen ambushed and shot dead Ta Prohm radio journalist Chuor Chetharith as he arrived at station headquarters in Phnom Penh’s Chamkar Mon district.
Funcinpec officials branded Chuor Chetharith’s killing as political and pulled out of tripartite talks on the formation of a new government that were scheduled for Oct 20.
The CPP, Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party sat down for face-to-face talks at the Royal Palace on Friday evening.
“Initial investigations based on testimony from five witnesses say that nothing happened at the scene, contrary to the claims of the victim,” Tep Kum, Chamkar Mon district deputy police chief, said Friday.
“But the investigation will still continue. The higher-ups told me to do more on this,” Tep Kum said.
A Funcinpec official who requested anonymity said that Keo Sopheak was traveling by motorcycle near the Preah Bat Norodom Sihanouk Hospital when he spotted two men following him at high speed on a second motorcycle. One of the pursuers raised a handgun and fired a single shot at Keo Sopheak, but missed, the official said.
“We don’t know [the motive] yet, but it happened before this evening’s meeting…. It looks like more pressure is being put on the Funcinpec party,” the official said.
