Kampong Thom Official Arrested For Attempted Stabbing Of Prosecutor

Kampong Thom: On the morning of November 17, 2020, the Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie arrested Mr. Mao Bunthou, Director. Inter-sectoral case of Kampong Thom Provincial Hall, on charges related to the case of attempted murder by stabbing of Mr. Say Veasna, Deputy Prosecutor of Kampong Thom Provincial Court.

On November 16, 2020, at sometime around 9 pm in Pich Chenda Waterfall Restaurant’s “Kep” Room, Mr. Say Veasna, Deputy Prosecutor together with Mr. Hang Thol, Commander Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie, Mr. Khun Bun Ho, Deputy Commander of Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie, Mr. Prohm Veasna, Deputy Director of Kampong Thom Provincial Security Information Research Department, Li Yasin and Pream Hak, who were all eating food together. 

At that time, Mr. Mao Bunthou, Director of Inter-Sector Management, Kampong Thom Provincial Hall, was eating in an adjoining room on the east side of the restaurant. Later, Mr. Mao Bunthou walked to the room “Kep” and pushed the door, but seeing Mr. Say Veasna was present in the room, pulled the sliding door back.

About 3 minutes later, Mr. Mao Bunthou entered the “Kep” room and went to whisper to Mr. Hang Thol and Mr. Khun Bun Ho to go and join with Mr. Sok Lou, the governor of Kampong Thom province, who was eating in the adjoining east room.

Mr. Mao Bunthou, armed with a sharp white knife hidden in his hand, walked into the room “Kep” and extended his left hand to ask Mr. Say Veasna to shake it, then Mr. Say Veasna took his right hand and shook hands with Mr. Mao Bunthou. After that, Mr. Mao Bunthou walked close to Mr. Say Veasna and pulled out a knife to stab him. Mr. Say grabbed the perpetrator’s hand and said, “How can you do that? How can you use a knife to stab me to death?”

Mr. Hang Thol shouted for the perpetrator to drop the knife, but the perpetrator refused still tried to slash out at the man’s throat with the knife.

The victim was so loud that 5 or 6 people came to grab the knife from the perpetrator and many people came out to see, including Mr. Sok Lou, Governor of Kampong Thom, Mr. Pen Vanrith, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Mr. Touch Sokha, Governor of Santuk District.

According to the information from the authorities, the witnesses of the incident included Mr. Hang Thol, Mr. Prohm Veasna. , Mr. Ly Yasin, Mr. Pream Hak and three other female waitresses in the “Kep” room.

The perpetrator, after the unsuccessful action, behaved as if he was drunk and pretended not to know anything. 

The perpetrator was said to be angry with Mr. Say Veasna after a case where he led a force without an order from the prosecutor to seize machinery from a man called Chut Than without proper permission from the provincial governor and relevant departments, even though he is not qualified as a police officer or court official.

There has reportedly been resentment between the men ever since.

Separately, Mr. Sin Virak, Prosecutor of Kampong Thom Provincial Court, immediately went to the scene and ordered the armed Forces to detain the perpetrator and for Kampong Thom Provincial Gendarmerie Command to build a case according to the procedure. RASMEI