Viral video of senior police officer in drunken car wreck stokes outrage in Cambodia

[ad_1] Video of a senior police officer whose automotive careened into different autos on a busy Phnom Penh avenue killing one individual has stoked public outrage amid concern the suspect, accused of being drunk on the wheel, will get preferential remedy.

Hun Heng, head of the logistics workplace on the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, is accused of driving his Lexus RX400 into a number of motorbikes and autos in broad daylight on Thursday, ensuing within the loss of life of Rien Sopheurn, 49, and injuring three others. He was arrested on the scene and is now in police custody.

Footage captured by one other driver’s dashcam reveals the SUV barrel into view, tires screeching, as a helmet, apparently from a motorcyclist who has already been hit, rolls down the street. The SUV then bashes right into a tuktuk and collides with one other automotive earlier than swerving proper, crashing right into a tree on the sidewalk and coming to a halt.

Video: Rushing automotive pushed by intoxicated police official kills one in Phnom Penh The useless man’s daughter, whose Fb deal with is Da Molika, posted a public plea to Prime Minister Hun Manet, requesting justice and harsh punishment for the perpetrator.

Phnom Penh Municipal Police spokesperson Sam Vicheka instructed native media on Thursday night time that the suspect had been arrested for reckless and intoxicated driving, with a blood alcohol focus (BAC) of 0.45 mg, which is equal to 0.45% of alcohol per deciliter of blood - a probably deadly stage of alcohol.

Nonetheless, the next morning, the police’s media and speedy response workforce introduced on Fb that Hun Heng’s BAC was 0.35 mg, prompting suspicion about that knowledge and the dealing with of Hun Heng’s case.

RFA was not in a position to attain Hun Heng or any authorized consultant for him for remark.

Ruining the lives of others The dramatic dashcam video was extensively considered in Cambodia and struck a nerve amongst netizens. RFA Khmer’s video story on the crash attracted 3.5 million views inside 18 hours, and a couple of,800 feedback.

“Officers who drive whereas intoxicated and trigger such incidents ought to be faraway from the power and imprisoned for all times,” wrote netizen Setha Pell.

“Consuming, ruining the lives of others, being wicked. Sitting on the legislation, not imposing it,” commented netizen Phavuth Chhun.

Sek Socheat, a coverage improvement and analysis advisor, voiced concern that the revision of the BAC studying could be irregular, provided that the suspect is a police officer.

He warned that with out strict monitoring of the case, lower-level legislation enforcement could be lenient or biased, regardless of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s name for strict authorized motion with out exception.

“If there are nonetheless double requirements in legislation enforcement like this, the enforcement of legal guidelines in Cambodia will proceed to deteriorate, and other people will lose much more belief,” Sek Socheat instructed RFA.

Already in Cambodia, there’s a prevailing assumption that the wealthy and well-connected get off evenly when they're answerable for critical visitors accidents.

When the son of a high Cambodian Inside Ministry official was sentenced in September 2024 to 12 years in jail in Australia for a deadly automotive crash, it prompted comparisons with instances in Cambodia the place high-profile authorities officers and businessmen have confronted lenient punishment or no authorized penalties in any respect.

A mean of about 5 folks a day die in visitors accidents on Cambodia’s roads. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport reported that in 2024, there have been 1,509 such deaths.

Phnom Penh residents instructed RFA they're more and more anxious about touring the capital‘s roads.

“I’m actually scared. I really feel like I’ve turn into so anxious for therefore lengthy that I’m not frightened about being hit from the entrance or hitting somebody ourselves. I’m extra afraid of being hit from behind the place we are able to’t even see it coming,” Be Sreynith, a fourth-year college pupil, instructed RFA.