Cambodian PM voices outrage over tycoon's assault on TV star
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Version 0 of 1. Cambodia’s prime minister has added his voice to growing outrage over a vicious attack by a businessman on a female TV star that was captured on video. Hun Sen called property tycoon Sok Bun’s actions intolerable and warned that his wealth would not help him escape justice. Sok Bun is believed to have fled the country. The incident has prompted soul-searching in the south-east Asian country, where the wealthy often act with impunity and are widely known to pay for their crimes with cash rather than prosecution. Hun Sen implicitly acknowledged the judicial system’s shortcomings and vowed that this time justice would be served. “Don’t think that because you have money you can escape,” Hun Sen said. “What you have done is intolerable.” Hun Sen ordered Sok Bun to come out of hiding and report to authorities. An arrest warrant has been issued and a manhunt launched. In a grainy black-and-white video, Sok Bun is seen dragging well-known Cambodian actor Ek Socheata – known as Sasa – off a sofa at a Japanese restaurant in Phnom Penh. He throws her to the ground, kicks her head and when she tries to get up he punches, kicks her and stamps on her – as his bodyguard points a pistol at her head. The attack continues until a worker at the apparently empty restaurant manages to pull Sok Bun away. The attack, which occurred in the early hours of 2 July, was captured by the restaurant’s security cameras. Sasa obtained the video from the restaurant and posted it last week on her Facebook page, where it quickly lit up social media before becoming the focus of mainstream media and morning talk shows. “He pulled my hair and smashed my head against the floor,” Sasa said. “I was in shock, I couldn’t believe what was happening.” Photographs that ran in Cambodian media show bruises over her body, a black eye and bloodied fingers and knees. Sasa said she was protecting a friend from the drunken advances of Sok Bun. The security cameras captured the exchange from two angles, showing Sasa stepping in to stop Sok Bun, who is middle-aged and married, from pulling a visibly intoxicated woman off a sofa across from Sasa. As the discussion turns heated, Sasa throws her mobile phone toward the tycoon, which sends him into a violent rage. Sok Bun issued statements on Tuesday pleading for mercy from his victim, society and Hun Sen. “I wish to publicly apologise for my mistake,” he said. To show his remorse, he resigned as president of the Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agent’s Association, a real estate industry body. And he gave up an honorary Cambodian title known as Oknha which is given in exchange for donations of more than $100,000 (£64,000) to the government. “Give me another chance to participate in society and in the nation, and to restore honour to my family.” He offered to pay Sasa $40,000, then upped the offer to $100,000, which she has rejected. He said he now is “absent from Cambodia” and seeking treatment for a stress-related illness, and would return once assured his safety could be guaranteed. Officials have said they think Sok Bun is in Singapore. Sok Bun made no immediate response to Hun Sen’s comments. |