Prosecutors in the central province of Khanh Hoa on Tuesday indicted a former police officer on charge of torture for using corporal punishment against two robbery suspects.

According to the indictment, on July 26, Lang Thanh Dung, 26, together with a couple of young men attacked Nguyen Truong Vu, 29, and Truong Tri Binh, 41, both xe om drivers.

Dung then handcuffed Vu and Binh, escorting them to the station of Nha Trang's police division.

There, he beat them while interrogating them on suspicion that they joined hands with a prostitute to rob a tourist of VND7 million (US$300) on July 21.

Binh was released later as he kept denying the allegations.

Meanwhile, Vu continued to get beaten by Dung and an apprentice.

The xe om driver wasn't freed until early the next morning after having his belongings, including a motorbike and a mobile phone, confiscated.