Brother-in-law, wife and son detained over S Treng man’s murder

THE son, wife and brotherin-law of a man who was beaten to death on Februar y 1 were put in pre-t ria l detention at t he prov incia l prison on Sunday by Stung Treng prov incia l court, follow ing t heir arrest on Friday in Phluk v illage in Sesan district’s Phluk commune.

Speaking to The Post, prov incia l serious crime office chief Duong Siv ut ha identified t he suspects as Rit hy Somath, 19, t he v ictim’s son, Met At h, 33, t he v ict im’s wife, and Met Ky, 22, At h’s brot her.

The victim was identified as Thorng Rithy, 36, who resided in Phluk village.

“The three suspects were charged and put into pre-trial detention by Stung Treng provincial court this afternoon [Sunday].

“The [wife] and her brother were charged as accomplices, while [the victim’s] son was charged with murder, on the instruction of provincial investigating judge Uong Vuthea,” Sivutha said.

If the court finds Somath guilty of murder, he faces 10 to 15 years imprisonment, while the alleged accomplices face similar punishment if found guilty.

“According to t he wife’s statement, she had an argument with t he v ictim. After t hat, his son grabbed a stick from his fat her, but her brother was only tr y ing to help.

“The suspects have not admitted that what they have done is wrong,” he said.

Sivutha said Ath told police that on February 1, her husband was drunk and that the two quarrelled. Then the victim grabbed a stick and started beating her, she alleged.

He said Ath claimed Somath took the stick from his father and, along with his uncle, killed him.

Siv ut ha said af ter t he v ictim was k illed, t he suspects tied stones to the body and dropped it into the Sesan River, seek ing to hide t he ev idence.

On February 4, Rithy’s body was pulled out of the river by fishermen, who reported the discovery to the police.

After the body was found, Sivutha said, police opened an investigation and searched the victim’s home. Behind the house, they found the string that had been used to tie up the victim’s body.

Police questioned the suspects at Stung Treng provincial police station and they confessed.