Judicial officers of the Kratie provincial Military Police have built a case file for referral to court detailing the alleged physical assault of two 12-year-old girls by the Kratie town Military Police commander Tep Huy and his deputy Kim Sovannarith.

Provincial Military Police commander San Bunthan told The Post that the two alleged perpetrators were sent to court on November 1 for violence against the two cousins.

“We have built cases against the duo for cruelty and physical abuse. We do not know yet what charges specifically the court will level,” he said.

He added that during questioning, the offenders admitted to the acts of violence and said they did it because the two cousins, who both worked for him as housemaids, somehow killed his dog.

“Tep Huy said he made the girls eat dog dung and only beat them slightly. But if they were beaten just slightly, the question is why are the girls’ heads all swollen,” he said.

Bunthan said that judicial police officers called the girls in to explain the incident and had them imitate the men’s actions to understand the extent to which they were beaten.

“Even if the girls were responsible for the dog’s death, he should only have punished them with a reprimand and discipline. He should not have used violence against minors under any circumstances,” he added.

The provincial police also had the two girls demonstrate what took place at the alleged perpetrator’s house.

“Tep Huy ordered both of us to guard the dog’s grave. He made one of us embrace the grave and the other salute the grave from midnight until dawn,” one of the girls says in a video that went viral on social media.

Chhan Srey Mom, head of the provincial court's secretariat, confirmed that the two officers were sent to court on November 1.

However, she said that since the case was still in the hands of the prosecutor, she did not know what the charges would be. She referred reporters to provincial deputy prosecutor and spokesman Ra Borandy, who could not be reached for comment.