3 accused of killing 'witch' in Cambodia

Published: 27 Oct 2014 at 11.43 | Viewed: 833 | Comments: 0
Online news: Asia
Writer: dpa

PHNOM PENH - Three people in Cambodia were charged with the murder last week of a woman they believed to be a witch behind a spate of unexplained deaths in their community, according to a newspaper report on Monday.

The victim, a 32-year-old from Cambodia's ethnic minority Bunong community, was kidnapped from her Kratie province home on Oct 22. The killers took her about 2 kilometres away and broke her neck before dumping her at the side of a road, The Cambodia Daily reported.

Two men and a woman were arrested, and a fourth man was being sought by police.

The suspects confessed to the killing, the report quoted a local police chief, Chhin Sambo, as saying.

They said they acted following a number of deaths and illnesses in their community, which they blamed on the victim.

There have been at least five cases of superstitious villagers committing such vigilante killings so far this year. In one, a traditional healer was set upon by an angry mob and bludgeoned to death; another case saw a so-called sorcerer decapitated.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/43 ... eing-witch

Trio Charged With Murdering Bunong ‘Sorceress’

By Eang Mengleng | October 27, 2014

The Kratie Provincial Court on Saturday charged three people over the brutal murder of a 32-year-old woman they believed to be a sorceress responsible for a series of mysterious deaths in their community, while a fourth suspect remains at large, officials said Sunday.

Chak Nem, 26, Tray Ean, 56, both men, and Yoy Orn, 58, a woman, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly killing Oum Phatmom—an ethnic Bunong originally from Mondolkiri province—the previous evening in Sambor district’s Kbal Damrei commune, according to deputy district police chief Chhin Sambo.

Mr. Sambo said the suspects admitted to killing the woman, who they blamed for a spate of fatal illnesses in the area.

“The suspects told police that the victim was a sorceress, and that many children got sick and died because of her,” he said, adding that police are still searching for a fourth suspect thought to have been involved in the murder.

Deputy commune chief Sao Torn said Oum Phatmon, who was married to a local farmer, was home alone when the suspects showed up, bound, blindfolded and beat her before taking her about 2 km away, breaking her neck and dumping her in a puddle on the side of the road.

“Her neck was broken after she was taken from her house, and then she was dropped in the puddle,” Mr. Torn said, adding that the victim’s husband had been working in the field when she was abducted.

Chan Sophalla, chief of the Kratie police’s penal bureau, said Mr. Nem, Mr. Ean and Ms. Orn were charged on Saturday with intentional murder with aggravating circumstances, for which they face up to 30 years in prison. The trio was placed in pretrial detention at the provincial prison the same day, he added.

Provincial court prosecutor Ty Sovinthal confirmed the charges.
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/trio- ... ess-71003/

this happens a few times a year along with miraculous trees and other magic things.
fear is a potent driver, and once it takes hold, look out.

i think its just a cover-up for living-out their own pervertness...

imo, its murderous psychos, seeking an excuse.

their motive? oh wow, doing something good for the community...

arseholes.
she probably was raped and tortured over hours, too.

And another one:

http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/five- ... rer-71110/

It would be interesting to know why this particular person - a 35 year old man- was singled out. Why did they think he was a sorcerer? Just a rumour or was he abnormal looking/mentally ill ?

“After [Mr. Man’s] mother died, he heard that the victim was a sorcerer and he wanted to take revenge, and chose the seventh day after her death to kill him,” he said.

Creepy stuff.

suspect 1 - killed with machete
suspect 2 - hold victim down
suspect 3 - lookout
suspect 4 - driver

what 5 men is the article talking about?

surely, the killer was mentally ill.
and the "traditional healer" could have given the hint. but probably they dont want to arrest that esteemed member of the community...?

A traditional healer subsequently proclaimed that she was displaying signs of “black magic” in her body.

“After [Mr. Man’s] mother died, he heard that the victim was a sorcerer and he wanted to take revenge, and chose the seventh day after her death to kill him,” he said.

potty wrote:i think its just a cover-up for living-out their own pervertness...

imo, its murderous psychos, seeking an excuse.

their motive? oh wow, doing something good for the community...

arseholes.
she probably was raped and tortured over hours, too.

My impression too. A few friends of mine are Krachess' natives, if I raise this article and ask them tomorrow they'd definitely frown at me. Takes news in the Khmer media with a grain of salt whether it is in Khmer or English. Even the CNC news channel who proudly advocate democracy and offer 'truth' were sold out. Anything can be bought.