Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday concluded its trial of a 25-year-old construction worker accused of the attempted murder of a construction manager last year.

Presiding Judge Sin Visal said the accused, Men Ra, was charged in October for the attempted murder of Nouv Ratana, 30, after his arrest at a private company’s construction site in Tonle Bassac commune in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district.

“Men Ra used a long wooden stick and beat the back and neck of the victim while he was walking into a bathroom, in order to steal US$100 from him. However, he did not kill him after the victim had accepted to pay him the money,” he said.

Sin Visal said a verdict would be announced on March 21.

Men Ra told the court that he attacked Nouv Ratana because he failed to pay him his salary for several months.

“I had worked for Nouv Ratana’s construction company for many months in Phnom Penh but he did not pay me, except for food,” Men Ra told the court.