Phnom Penh Man Accuses 5 Police Officers of Torture and Theft During Investigation

A 65-year-old Phnom Penh man, who spent over 20 days in pretrial detention on accusations of stealing a gong from a pagoda, has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Interior against five police officers. He alleges he was beaten and that his personal belongings were confiscated without being recorded as evidence. The complaint names Bun Satya, deputy police commissioner in charge of the criminal affairs division at the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Commissariat; Hong Piseth, chief of the Kambol district police inspectorate; Sok Sivutha, deputy chief of the inspectorate; Ke Thien An, head of a unit at the inspectorate; and Nhor Serey, chief of the Prateah Lang commune police station. Rattana, who has since been released on bail, denies stealing the gong. He claims he was repeatedly beaten during questioning even after denying the accusation, sustaining injuries before his arrest and subsequent order for pretrial detention. He further alleges that officers seized his belongings, including 600,000 riel (approximately $150), a wristwatch, and a motorcycle, without listing them in the official report at the Kambol district police office. "I am a poor man and have only a few possessions. I kept that money to pay for treatment of my chronic illness. If it is all taken away, how can I accept that?" he stated. Rattana was arrested by Kambol district police on August 12 after monks at Svay Meas Pagoda accused him of stealing a bronze gong, according to a police report published by pro-government outlet Kampuchea Thmey. Ten days later, an investigating judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged him with theft and ordered him held pending trial. He was released on bail on September 14. No trial date has been set. Kampuchea Thmey also reported Wednesday that Kambol district police called the allegations "baseless." Ministry of Interior spokesperson Touch Sokhak stated that the ministry reviews complaints and requests from citizens and would not ignore anyone. "The ministry will examine whether the officers followed the proper procedures and professional standards," he said. "If we find that the officers acted correctly, we will clear their names. But if their actions were improper, we will also take action against the officers who committed wrongdoing." Satya did not answer phone calls seeking comment. Rattana’s son-in-law, Bun Phearum, called the alleged irregularities unacceptable and said the family wanted justice and its reputation restored. "I think that was wrong because they did not even send the evidence to the court," he said. Am Sam Ath, operations director of the rights group Licadho, called for a transparent investigation. "Although the law and procedures grant these authorities powers, they are still required to conduct a clear investigation and gather strong evidence showing that the person being arrested or charged is involved," he said. "But in the past, this has not always been implemented clearly." Sam Ath said that when people file complaints, authorities must investigate transparently and fairly to deliver justice and keep similar problems from recurring. Source: CamboJA News