Monday, November 20, 2006

Cambodia's sensational first: Police officer father decided to hand over his son accused of shooting another student

Kratie police arrest shooting student

19 Nov 2006
By Or Phearith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

The Kratie province police commissioner indicated that the student who shot and wounded another student on 17 Nov had been sent to the police station on 17 Nov.

Chuong Seang Hak, Kratie province police commissioner, said by phone on 18 Nov that Khou Sovandet, an 11th grade student at Preah Kossamak high school who shot Srun Sophal, another student, had been handed over by his police officer father to the authority on the afternoon of the incident day. Colonel Khou Sunnary, Khou Sovandet’s father, said that he is a police officer who understands the law, that is why he decided to hand over his son to the authority: “I am applying the law, I know that what he did is against the law, I have to bring him back to face the law.”

Not only did Khou Sunnary handed over his son to the authority, the colonel also said that he apologized to the victim’s family and he promised to pay the medical bill for the shooting victim also. The colonel’s action helped release the anger in Y Leab, the mother of the victim, who said: “How can I not be pleased, he came to visit my son, he talked nice to us, he was concerned about my son’s health condition. He also helped us financially.”

Chuon Socheat, an official from the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, applauds the action taken by the colonel who decided to take the right path by supporting the law. However, Chuon Socheat said that there should not just be financial arrangements between the two sides without legal punishment: “The authority and the court should decide the fate of the culprit.”

Chuong Seang Hak said that while the handing over of the colonel’s son is a responsible act, he said that the culprit should not be pardoned through mutual arrangements between the two parties involved.

Chuong Seang Hak said: “The [financial] compensation arrangement between the two parties is their problem, however, the legal case cannot be stopped. We need to build up the file after completing the investigation, and send the case to the court.”

Chuong Seang Hak said that an investigation is under way about the gun used by the accused.

Khou Sovandet and one of his friends were handed over by his police officer father after Khou Sovandet shot Srun Sophal, another student, on 17 Nov, and seriously injured Srun Sophal on his leg.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must congratulate to you Mr Khou. I know that you truely love your son as everyone else. Now you want your son to know the consequence of his stupidity by shooting his friend. That is a very good role model. I guarantee you that your action like this will impact the live of your son into the future. He will know what right and what is wrong, after he pledge guilty with this crime, your son will turn into a good role model. He will live long life and will respect other and he will do well in the future. Unlike some parents who supported their children crimes, they will send their children to hell.

Anonymous said...

Way to go Mr.Khou the roll model for our future to follow.
We realy need lots and lot more people like you to come forwad so that we all can live in peace and harmony.
Your son guilty with his crime so he do the time and you should support so that he can learn from his crime.
Unlike some parents who do the crime, brake the law eveyday for their stupidity selfish needs and live on someone salarry or money or the work of the poor.
Thank you for truly the real man of our time.

Anonymous said...

Yea.. I must say that this is indeed a good act I have seen esp. from high ranking official in Cambodia! Keep up the good work Mr Khou! May ur action has wide spread affect for all to see and follow.

All behalf of khmer peeps everywhere, I thank you!