Noodle Shop Owners Sue Anti-Terror Cop Over Gun Threats

Phnom Penh:  The owner of Angkor Chum Noodle Shop, Toul Kork branch, has filed a lawsuit against Interior Ministry counter-terrorism director Thlang Phinra after the police officer pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot him and his wife.

 This incident happened at 12 noon on September 20, 2020, according to the complaint that the media received on the night of September 22, 2020.

Victim Chuy Sokheng, Male, 53 years old, the owner of Angkor Chum Noodle Shop, Toul Kork Branch, complained about Mr. Thlang Phinra, Police Officer. Anti-terrorism of the Ministry of Interior to 3 institutions:

First: Complaint to Samdech Krala Hom Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior
Second: Complaint to the Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court
Third: Complaint to the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia

The complaint came after the police officer insulted and threatened to shoot the victim and his wife by pulling a gun from his waist and targeting the victim and his wife, who were having lunch in the restaurant.

Mr. Chuy Sokheng stated in the complaint that on the day of the incident on September 20, at around 12 noon, he organized a friendly dinner with about eight friends at his noodle shop because the restaurant was closed to customers for Pchum Day.

Mr. Sok Heng further described that after eating for a while, Mr. Thlang Phinra walked into his dining room without an invitation, but because they knew each other, the waiter allowed Mr. Thlang Phinra to join the table.

Mr. Sokheng said that the eating continued until about 2 pm, some friends returned home, and only about 5 people were left, including him and his wife at a table together. At that time, Mr. Thlang Phinra, who was also drunk, began to use words to warn about the closure of the shop or to put the police to check the alcohol in front of the noodle shop. Not only that, Mr. Thlang Phinra also boasted that he could call General Sar Thet, the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Commissioner, to close Angkor Chum Noodle Shop at any time.

In the complaint, Mr. Sokheng described that after such remarks, he also said that his shop selling noodles and coffee, did not sell any drugs, so why would anybody want to close his shop?

According to Mr. Sokheng, after such an exchange, Mr. Thlang Phinra, the director of the Anti-Terrorism Office of the Ministry of Interior, pulled out a gun from his waist and fired bullets at him and his wife. Mr. Sokheng said that not only did he pull out a gun, but Phin Ra used harsh words to threaten to kill him and his wife.

In the same complaint, the victim demanded $ 100,000 in damages and asked for the law to punish the police officer as severely as possible. AREY

UPDATE: General Neth Savoeun, the National Police Commissioner General, has summoned the officer to a meeting to explain his actions.