Cambodian tycoon who beat ex-TV star surrenders: official

Fugitive Cambodian property tycoon Sok Bun, who brutally attacked a former TV star in a heated argument at a Phnom Penh restaurant on July 2, returned to Cambodia from Singapore on Saturday to face justice, a Cambodian spokesman confirmed.

"He flew from Singapore to Phnom Penh this morning and surrendered himself to police," Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told Xinhua via telephone.

Sok Bun was escorted directly from the Phnom Penh International Airport to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for questioning, he added.

The magnate is facing the charges of intentional acts of violence with aggravating circumstances after he assaulted former Cambodian Television Network presenter Ek Socheata, better known as Sasa, in an argument on July 2 and fled to Singapore on July 8.

His surrender came after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's appeal on Thursday.

Leaked security camera footage, which has gone viral on the internet since last week, showed Sok Bun engage in an argument with Sasa before dragging her to the floor and punching, kicking, stomping on and stripping her almost naked, as his bodyguard pointed a pistol at Sasa's head.

In a statement released on Tuesday by his lawyer, Sok Bun announced to offer the compensation of 100,000 U.S. dollars to Sasa and also announced to resign as the president of the Cambodian Valuers and Estate Agents Association and the director of joint ventures between his company and Singaporean partner TEHO- SBG International.

However, Sasa rejected the compensation offer, insisting to see her attacker to face trial. Endi