Fifteen policemen in Kandal province have been sacked by the provincial police chief for not turning up to work while still collecting their salaries.

In a letter signed by Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on Wednesday, the absentee officers were laid off and had all benefits cut.

“The 15 police officers of Kandal provincial police station must be punished in the form of revoking their ranks and being made redundant from the police forces,” the letter read.

The announcement was made on the request of Eav Chamroeun, Kandal provincial police chief.

“Normally, police who have been absent, we have to ask them to be terminated. Keeping them is wasting the state’s wages,” he said.

Cambodia’s civil service has been plagued by so-called “ghost workers” who are on the books but never show up for work other than on payday.

None of the 15 officers could be reached for comment yesterday.