Two suspects were charged yesterday with murder and theft after 52-year-old Thai Huy was killed and dumped in a 10-metre well on her cashew farm in Phnom Penh’s Daun Penh district on Saturday.

Khorn Chhay, 20, and Mach Ro, 19, both from Kampong Cham province, had been employed by Huy for several months on the farm, and were arrested in Tbong Khmum province after fleeing to a relative’s house there, said Heng Vuthy, police chief of Kampong Cham’s Cheung Prey district.

The suspects, who were paid 270,000 riel ($67.50) a month to guard and work at the farm, were brought to Kampong Cham following their arrest, Vuthy said.

Sem Kheang, Kampong Cham provincial police chief, said that during the suspects’ interrogation, Ro admitted they slit Huy’s throat and dumped her body into the well, stealing her motorbike and $900.

“However, [Ro] said he was not the murderer, but just colluded by helping throw the body down the well”, Kheang said.

Kaing Kimhoy, the victim’s brother-in-law, demanded 100 million riel ($25,000) in compensation from the suspects, and asked they be punished to the fullest extent of the law.