Kampong Thom police arrest CP commune chief Nhim Sarom


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

Police in Kampong Thom province yesterday arrested an elected Candlelight Party (CP) commune chief, who allegedly committed “robbery” in 2002 and fled the scene of the crime, but some people claim the arrest was politically motivated.

Provincial Police Deputy Chief Brigadier General Tith Samnal told Khmer Times yesterday that the suspect was identified as Nhim Sarom, 52, alias Tuk Sarom or Tub Vann or Tub Rom, the elected Chamna Loeu commune chief.

Br. Gen. Samnal said that Sarom was arrested at about 1 pm at his house in Trapaing Chor village in the province’s Stung district’s Chamna Loeu commune.

He added that after his arrest, Sarom was placed in pre-trial detention at provincial police headquarters for questioning and further investigation.

“He was arrested in accordance with Kampong Thom provincial court investigating judge’s arrest warrant,” Br. Gen. Samnal told Khmer Times.

“He was charged in absentia in 2007 by the Kampong Thom provincial court’s deputy prosecutor with robbery (Theft with aggravating circumstances). The investigating judge had issued an arrest warrant, but Sarom had fled,” he said.

“Sarom is being temporarily detained at the provincial police headquarters, and he will be sent to court on Wednesday,” he said.

Br. Gen. Samnal said that Sarom’s arrest wasn’t linked to politics just standard legal procedure.

Col. Sam noted that on night on October 31, 2002, Sarom and five other accomplices broke into a businessman’s house in Trapaing Chor village and stole a generator and other property then fled.

He added that during the robbery, the six suspects apprehended the house owner and beat him up before fleeing.

“So far, police have only arrested Nhim Sarom,” Col. Sam said yesterday. “We are now searching for the five other suspects, who are still at large, and send them to court.”




He added that Sarom and the other suspects were sentenced in absentia to five years in prison each in 2013, for “Theft with aggravating circumstances”. The court also ordered their arrests.

CP’s Vice President Cheth Kim Eang said that Sarom’s arrest was politically motivated and not about law enforcement.

“I am wondering that Nhim Sarom’s case happened in 2002, but since then neither police nor the court have arrested him, they waited until he was elected Chamna Loeu commune chief this year,” Kim Eang told Khmer Times yesterday.

“Nhim Sarom became a commune councillor of the Sam Rainsy Party in Kampong Thom province  and later became the commune councillor of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) before it was dissolved (by the Supreme Court) in 2017,” he said.

“I think that Nhim Sarom’s arrest was politically motivated because he won the commune chief in this commune elections,” he added.

According to the Kampong Thom provincial court’s document issued by investigating judge Sith Vannak dated June 21, 2012, Sarom was charged in absentia with “robbery” or “theft with aggravating circumstances” under Articles 533 and 357 of the Criminal Code.  

The investigating judge also ordered his arrest, but he was at large.

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