Yesterday, a viral social media claim suggested that Cambodian National Police Chief Sar Thet was urgently hospitalized after being shot by an unknown gunman in his office. The claim quickly spread across social media. However, our investigation revealed that the claim is false.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
An opposition politician living in exile abroad claimed on social media today that National Police Commissioner Sar Thet was shot by an unknown gunman at his office and rushed to the hospital.
Below is a screenshot from a social media claim on December 26, 2024, stating, “Sar Thet was rushed to the emergency room after an unidentified person entered the office and opened fire.”
The same Facebook page later claimed that the police chief’s bodyguard killed the gunman in front of the Ministry of Interior.
Below is a screenshot from the same Facebook page’s claim on December 26, 2024, stating, “The criminal who shot and killed General Sar Thet was shot dead by Sar Thet’s bodyguard in front of the Ministry of Interior.”
Hours later, the same Facebook page claimed that 10 other senior police chiefs close to Sar Thet and Interior Minister Sar Sokha could face removal from office if they do not support Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Below is a screenshot from a Facebook page claiming to be Samdech Seng Ratana, a well-known opposition politician living in the United States.
The Facebook page’s claim was widely shared and received numerous reactions from social media users. While some believed the information, others questioned its accuracy.
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo began verifying the above claims by reviewing statements from the Ministry of Interior, the National Police Commissioner, and other government institutions. This investigation led us to uncover the following facts.
After this information was widely shared on social media, Ministry of Interior spokesman Touch Sokak clarified yesterday in a video posted on the ministry’s Facebook page that the news and the claim mentioned above are “fake”. It was created to slander the ministry’s leadership and the head of the royal government.
Below is the full video of the clarification and explanation by spokesperson Touch Sokak, published on the Ministry of Interior’s Facebook page on December 26, 2025.”
The Ministry of Interior’s Department of Anti-Cyber Crimes also labeled the claim as “fake” and presented a photo of National Police Commissioner Sar Thet participating in a ceremony to promote the anti-corruption law in Phnom Penh yesterday morning, alongside the head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, Om Yintieng.
“Mr. Sar Thet’s official Facebook page also posted several photos yesterday, showing him participating in an anti-corruption law promotion program alongside Mr. Om Yintieng.
A Phnom Penh Post report, citing a spokesperson from the Ministry of Information, stated that the ministry recorded 1,701 cases of fake news in the first half of 2024, reflecting a 12 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. Throughout 2023, the ministry recorded over 3,000 cases of fake news.
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CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo found that the claims mentioned above are false. The Ministry of Interior has publicly stated that the claims are “fake” news. National Police Commissioner Sar Thet was not shot as claimed. Instead, he was present at an anti-corruption law promotion event yesterday.
Title:False Claim Says Cambodian Police Chief Shot by Unknown Gunman
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: False
