Kampong Cham police deny local reports of rape in woman’s murder

KAMPONG Cham provincial police are continuing their murder investigation into the case of a woman who was bludgeoned to death in her cashew farm in Kampong Siem district’s Srak commune on January 16. She was not raped during the attack, police said.

Deputy provincial police chief Heng Bunthy on Thursday identified the victim as Kin Yen, 27, who was struck on the head with a stick – evidence that was left behind at the scene.

Kampong Siem di s t r i c t police chief Ek Pandorn said that some local media outlets reported she was raped before being murdered, which is inaccurate.

He said media outlets used her picture, and pictures of her underwear and trousers to accompany their stories, misleading the public.

“Media outlets kept reporting the story randomly without asking local police,” he said.

Chan Hor, deputy head of the serious crime bureau, said rape was not the motive for the murder, nor was robbery.

He s a id a f ter specia l i st s performed the post-mortem, t hey concluded it was not a rape-murder case and police have si nce concluded t he murder may have been fuelled by revenge.

Although police have yet to identify a suspect, he said it is believed that the victim was “targeted” because no rape was carried out and none of her property was stolen either.

He noted the victim’s platinum-plated ankle bracelets and a motorcycle were left at the scene. “Since the incident on January 16, my police officers have been hunting for the offender,” he said.

Chan Hor said the victim had gone to her cashew farm on the day of her murder with her aunt, who then parted ways with her niece as they carried out work in different areas of the farm.

When it was time to return home, the aunt could not find her niece nor reach her by phone.

She departed alone and later returned when her niece did not come home. Upon returning, she spotted blood on the floor and found her niece’s body. She then notified the police.