Police Arrest Trio over Kratie Murder
Khmer Times / Srey Kumneth Thursday, 07 April 2016

Three men suspected of committing murder during a home invasion in Kratie province’s Snoul district on Tuesday were arrested yesterday in Mondulkiri province, police said.

Snoul district police officer Chan Sokhim said the three suspects – Heng Vy, 37, Eung Phe, 29, and Sreng Lang, 27 – were apprehended at about 4 pm yesterday in Mondulkiri’s Keo Seima district.



Mr. Sokhim said the group was responsible for murdering 33-year-old Seung Ra after they broke into his house and made off with about $500. He said police seized an AK-47, 12 bullets and a motorbike during the arrest.

Police are continuing to interrogate the three to determine who killed Mr. Ra, who died from a gunshot wound. “Police in Snoul district are questioning them and building a case to send to the provincial court today,” Mr. Sokhin said yesterday. The three have been charged with armed robbery and will face murder and accomplice to murder charges, he added.

National Police Commissioner General Neth Savoeun has warned police officers nationwide to remain vigilant following a surge in reported armed robberies and home invasions. He warned that police officers will face disciplinary action if such crimes go unpunished in their jurisdictions.

Young Woman Murdered After Fighting Off Rapist in Kratie

BY BUTH KIMSAY | APRIL 12, 2016 | អានជាភាសាខ្មែរ

A woman fought off a rape attempt in Kratie province on Saturday night only to be murdered by her attacker, according to police, in what was at least the fifth murder connected to a sexual assault identified by authorities this year.

Som Chenda, 23, was attacked by brickmaker Chet Chanrith, 19, while walking to a DVD shop from her home in Chet Borei district at about 8 p.m. on Saturday, according to Hout Limheng, chief of the provincial police’s serious crimes bureau.


“The suspect attempted to rape the victim as she was walking along the path,” Mr. Limheng said, adding that when the woman attempted to fight him off—scratching his face and body—he became angry and knocked her unconscious.

“The suspect dragged the body to a pond, but he was afraid she was still alive, so he snapped her neck before throwing her body into the pond,” he said.

The body was discovered on Monday morning in the pond, from which water is pumped by local brickmakers for use in their trade, the bureau chief said.

Sreu Chealy, a deputy district police chief, said investigators later narrowed down the potential pool of suspects to the workers who operated the brick kiln near where the body was found, then identified Mr. Chanrith as the perpetrator after they noticed scratch marks on his body.

“The suspect confessed to killing the victim,” Mr. Chealy said. “He struck the victim until she was unconscious and pressed her neck with an iron bar and strangled her.”

Kratie Provincial Court director Din Sivuthy said court officials were expected to lay charges against Mr. Chanrith today.

The brutal crime marks at least the fifth time this year that a victim of sexual assault has been murdered by her attacker.

Prominent women’s rights advocate Ros Sopheap said she believed crimes against women had become more brutal in recent years.

“I feel it is more savage than before, if I compare to 10 years ago,” she said, adding that a lack of respect for the judicial system led many of the perpetrators to kill their victims.

“When people do not trust [the courts], the murderer feels they are OK to commit the crime,” she said. “They believe they will not have any problems.”

Rutiger wrote:Another terrible story out of Kratie "province".