One detained, hunt on for accomplices in Takeo axe murder

A MURDER suspect is in pretrial detention at the Takeo provincial prison while police are on the hunt for his accomplices after they attacked and killed a man at Donkeo town on Friday.

Takeo provi nci a l c our t spokesman Lim Sokhorn told The Post on Monday that the suspect Khat Sangha is being held in prison by investigating Judge Chey Mala upon a request from the court prosecutor. “He has been charged for murder under Article 199 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

If the court finds the suspect guilty, he can be sent to prison for 10 to 15 years.

Chan Cheap, the crime office chief at the Takeo Military Police headquarters, said on Monday that around 8:00pm on Friday, a group of six young men were travelling on three motorbikes. Their three victims were on two motorbikes and on the way to a garden in Donkeo town.

The alleged attackers honked their horns, and one of the victims told his friend to turn back to see if the one who honked was their friend.

When they rode back they were suddenly attacked and tr ied to escape, but their motorbike speeds were lower than those of the suspects.

The suspects used an axe to hack Pul Roeun, 21, of Roka Knong commune, Donkeo town.

He died at the scene from wounds to his head and body. The two other victims sustained minor injuries when their motorbike crashed into a sand pile. The offenders then escaped.

Cheap said his officers went to the scene and the two surviving victims described the suspects’ motorbikes. After collecting information, military police found one bike matching the description they were given. A suspect was caught but his accomplices escaped. Both groups of men are from Donkeo town.

“We do not know whether the one we caught was the offender because he claimed he was not the one who committed the act. We were not able to catch all the offenders but we know the suspects’ identities,” Cheap said.