Maj Sovann noted that at about 8.30pm on April 14, Mr Mao was armed with an AK-47 rifle when he entered the victim’s land and snuck under his house. Mr Mao had made sure that Mr Phos was home alone.

“After entering the victim’s land, he took the gun and fired two bullets into the victim’s back from below the home while he was sleeping, causing him to die on the spot,” Maj Sovann said. “After killing the victim, he fled the location. He took the gun to hide in the forest near his farm and headed home and pretended to know nothing.”

Maj Sovann said the victim’s wife and children, who were visiting a neighbour’s house at the time of shooting, heard loud noises and became suspicious. They went back home to find Mr Phos’s body and subsequently alerted the police.

Maj Sovann said Mr Mao was arrested in his house on Sunday, when police seized an AK-47 rifle from him.
Maj Sovann further noted that a separate report had helped lead to the arrest of Mr Mao. Maj Sovann stated that Mr Mao got drunk after the shooting and told a fellow villager, who was friends with the victim, that he had killed Mr Phos because he was a sorcerer.

“According to his confession, he said that the reason why he shot the victim was because he was angry at him for committing sorcery on him and his family to make them sick,” Maj Gen Sokha said. “He said the victim was a sorcerer.”