Seven police officers accused of drunken shooting spree

THE Kampong Speu Provincial Court is investigating seven Samrong Tong district police officers over a drunken shooting spree that took place last Wednesday on the grounds of the district hall.

Kang Pheary, deputy district police chief in charge of security, is at the centre of the investigation.

Kampong Speu provincial police chief Sam Samuon told The Post on Sunday that Pheary and six other officers were sent to court on Friday.

“The prosecutor is continuing his investigation to determine whether they used illegal weapons that do not belong to their unit,” he said.

He said instead of safeguarding the security of citizens during the five-day replacement Khmer New Year holiday, Pheary and the other six drank beers and shot their guns.

District police chief Khut Sophal said the gunfire came after Pheary and the others were drunk.

He said the seven officers fired two guns owned by Pheary and Kann Saoly. The other officers are Dorn Sokhom, Mann Bunnara, Mann Bunnarek, Ny Spheak and Pring Longdy.

He said the suspects fired 11 shots, but did not pose a danger to residents.

Adhoc senior investigator Soeng Sen Karuna requested the officers be investigated with transparency and punished under the Criminal Code.

“We want illegal weapons used by police officers to be checked. Case of police buying weapons to use on their own is a danger because the weapons are hard to track.

“If the weapons belong to the unit they can be identified,” Sen Karuna said.