A brigadier general who allegedly pistol-whipped a man on the street for staring at him is behind bars after being charged with intentional violence on Saturday.
Suoy Samith, Boeung Keng Kang III commune police chief, said Brigadier General Pech Tonghang was sent to PJ Prison for allegedly assaulting a man on Tuesday.
Boht Khin San, the Chamkarmon district police chief, and Song Ly, Phnom Penh deputy police chief, declined to comment.
According to local media reports, Tonghang allegedly drove his car near a warehouse and loudly honked his horn, prompting the workers to stare at him. He then allegedly got out of his car, pulled out his gun and pistol-whipped a man on the head, supposedly for staring at him.
The victim reportedly received several stitches as a result of the injury, according to local media, with Tonghang allegedly offering him $4,000 to withdraw a complaint.
A Phnom Penh Municipal Police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said Tonghang was arrested on Friday when he came to the municipal police station to give a confession.
He was sent to court immediately after his arrest and charged with intentional violence under articles 217 and 218 of the Criminal Code, which carry up to three years and five years in prison, respectively.
Sunday night a municipal court spokesman confirmed that Tonghang had been charged.
