Police in the capital’s Chamkarmon district on March 10 sent five suspects, including a police officer, to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for destroying a motorcycle and threatening a man at gunpoint the previous day in Tonle Bassac commune.

Deputy district police chief Chhuon Miech Simolin said one of the suspects was a 28-year-old officer from the Department of External Intelligence and Technical Affairs.

Commune police chief Sal Sandos said he had no further comment as the case was now out of his hands.

But according to the commune police report, in the early hours of March 8, two men – identified as Phai Panith and ChhaiYaroth – were travelling from Wat Lanka pagoda to their homes in Meanchey district’s Chak Angre Krom commune, when five men began chasing them.

The duo left their motorcycle behind and ran into the Ministry of Interior compound. Then the suspect who is a police officer allegedly brandished his firearm and handcuffed one of the victims, while his accomplices destroyed the abandoned motorcycle with rocks and stones.

The report said a security guard witnessed the incident and notified the commune police, who immediately arrived at the scene and detained the five suspects.