Stop using my name to escape law: Phnom Penh police chief

PHNOM PENH - Phnom Penh’s police chief has warned anyone involved in criminal acts to stop claiming they are related to him in order to escape prosecution, local media reported Tuesday.

The Phnom Penh Post newspaper quoted police chief Touch Naruth as saying those doing so would be punished because they were damaging his reputation.

“I won’t pardon any criminal because I am the person who enforces the law,” he wrote.

The statement comes after three recent incidents where suspects claimed they were Touch Naruth’s relatives.

Last week three teenagers on a motorbike crashed into a car and then pretended they were the police chief’s nephews in order to escape prosecution. Police are still looking for them.

Earlier this month, three drunk, gun-toting policemen threatened staff at an upscale city massage parlour after they were refused service. One claimed to be a relative of the capital’s top cop.

And last month a woman appeared in court after a traffic accident in which she said she was Touch Naruth’s niece.

The capital’s police chief said enough was enough.

“If I don’t abide by the law, who will? If my nephews commit a crime, they must be punished too,” he said, making clear that Touch Naruth family ties - real or pretend - were no escape from the law.

Impunity for the rich and powerful has long been a problem in Cambodia, and those with connections are rarely convicted.