This content was originally published by Radio Free Asia, and it is now being reprinted with permission.
A group that gathered in front of a well-known businessman’s residence in Phnom Penh on Thursday to hand over dark envelopes full of cash, according to police, crushed four people to death.
According to Phnom Penh authorities spokesman Sam Vichheka, a big crowd gathered in front of tycoon Sok Kong’s home to pick up the dark letters, a case of wheat, and other presents.
There was simply a large crowd of people outside the house, not an organized series. As the group pushed toward the massive home’s doors, he claimed, five others were hurt.
Sok Kong, a close alliance of Senate President Hun Sen. is one of Cambodia’s wealthiest entrepreneurs with interests in leisure, hospitality and gas, according to Agence France-Presse.
The billionaire has distributed the dark letters in past times, which are a customary present in Asia during the Lunar New Year holiday. This year, they contained about 40, 000 riel ( US$ 10), according to Facebook posts from people who were at the event.
After on Thursday, Sok Kong announced that he would give the families of the victims US$ 6, 000 as well as a casket, while the five injured did get US$ 1 000, or 4 million louis.
Authorities were not conducting a fugitive investigation into the incidents, and didn’t think that Sok Kong was to blame for the drama, Sam Vichheka. The four murders were largely due to the victims ‘ weak health, he said.
” Sok Kong is a kind-hearted man who is willing to help people, and his heart is his product,” he said. ” It is a health problem. It isn’t related to anything else”.
