The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court yesterday charged a 72-year-old man for allegedly sexually abusing two girls, aged 9 and 11, in Poipet town, and offering them money for sex.

According to Seth Los, Banteay Meanchey provincial deputy police chief, Norng Thormony, was surrounded and captured by villagers, including the parents of the girls, on Sunday after sexually assaulting the 9-year-old near the village.

“The suspect was charged with sexual assault . . . and detained temporarily at the provincial prison for future prosecution,” Los said.

According to a report from police in Poipet, the suspect had sexually assaulted multiple minors in the past but was viewed by many of the victims’ parents as too old and mentally ill to prosecute. This time, however, the parents decided to press charges.

“The suspect did not deny the allegations of the two girls, who are 11 years old and 9 years old, that he hugged them and touched their breasts and genital organs,” the report read, adding that the suspect had admitted to offering the girls 5,000 riel (about $1.25) each for sex.

Authorities believe the suspect has mental health issues, although no independent mental health assessment has been presented, the report said.

Touch Thol, 58, director of Palelai pagoda in Poipet, where Thormony was a layman, said the man often drank, talked to himself and compared himself to God, and many parents had banned their children playing with him.