A police officer arrested for shooting at a bystander

Interior Ministry’s Penal police in cooperation with police in Kampot province apprehended an anti-drug police officer for allegedly shooting at and injuring a bystander mistakenly accused of being a drug trafficker in the capital on Sunday.

Major Choun Sothea, penal police officer with the Interior Ministry’s penal police department, identified the suspect as Captain Keo Rathvilla, 35, deputy chief of Phnom Penh Municipal anti-drug office.

The victim was identified as Bun Mao, 33 living in Prampi Makara district’s Veal Vong commune.

Maj Sothea said that at about 3am on April 26, Rathvilla drove his motorbike with his colleague to patrol along a road in Daun Penh district’s Phsar Thmey III commune.

“He was angry with the victim for running away and he did not stop as ordered,” he said, adding that Rathvilla was firing two bullets at the victim and hit his buttock.

He said that police arrested Rathvilla on Tuesday in Kampot province’s Chhouk district, while his colleague is on the run. After the arrest, police seized a pistol along with an amount of bullets from him.

Maj Sothea added that Rathvilla now is detained at the Ministry of Interior in Phnom Penh for further questioning.