A Cambodian man whom villagers believed had spread illness through their community with black magic was killed in what was described by police as a “revenge” attack, media reported on Wednesday.

Chhem Yin was gunned down with an AK-47 rifle after local villagers had tried on four previous occasions to murder the 34 year-old.

Local police said villagers had filed complaints that the man had used sorcery to sicken people who lived nearby in Cambodia’s Pursat province.

Many people who live in Cambodia’s countryside believe in black magic and those who are accused of being witch doctors are often targeted with violence.

The murder, which took place on Monday evening, came after the murders of two other men believed by locals to have been witch doctors - one beheaded, the other man stabbed to death.

“This murder is revenge because villagers believed he was a sorcerer,” local police chief Srey Chhumneth told The Cambodia Daily newspaper.

“Our police are searching to arrest the murderer who escaped from the scene,” he added.

The victim had previously been questioned by police about using sorcery, but he had told them that he “did not know about black magic at all,” the policeman said.

Villagers believed that Chhem Yin’s father was a witch doctor and that he had passed on his sorcery skills to his son, said Keo Sokunthea, deputy provincial police chief.