Battambang Primary School Principal Arrested, Sent to Court for Indecent Act Against 13-Year-Old Student

A primary school principal in Sampov Loun district, Battambang province, Cambodia, has been arrested and sent to court on charges of committing indecent acts against a 13-year-old female student. The incident occurred around 5:30 PM on September 17, 2026, at the Koun Phnum 32 primary school in Tasta commune. Following a complaint filed by the victim's guardian, Kok Sokha, 36, the Sampov Loun District Police Inspectorate and the Tasta Commune Police Post launched an investigation. According to police reports, the suspect, identified as Cheun Chan Toun, 51, the principal of the school, allegedly summoned the victim to the staff office, forcibly lifted her shirt, measured her chest, and took photographs with his mobile phone. The victim is a 13-year-old student at the school. After receiving the complaint and interviewing the victim, law enforcement officers arrested the suspect in Group 3, Koun Phnum South Village, on September 18, 2026, at approximately 10:10 AM. They then brought him to the Sampov Loun District Police Inspectorate for legal proceedings. During questioning, the suspect reportedly confessed to the indecent acts and photographing the victim, who was his student, in the school office. Authorities have compiled a case file and are preparing to send it to the Battambang Provincial Court for legal prosecution. This case highlights the critical issue of child protection in Cambodia, particularly concerning the abuse of power within educational settings, which can have severe psychological and physical consequences for children. Strict legal enforcement and preventive measures are deemed necessary. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Security