A couple from Preah Vihear province couple has been accused of beating their 58-year-old neighbour to death with a wooden stick after luring her into a field to undertake a ritual.

Choam Ksan district police deputy chief Nherm Sopheap said Thorng Thy, 55, and Noeng Phim, 50, of Veal Pur village, were arrested on Saturday and preliminarily charged with the premeditated murder of farmer Chan Noeun.

Noeun had been found dead the day before in a canal about a kilometre behind the village, Sopheap, said.

The victim’s family claims the woman had not been seen since she was persuaded by the suspects to attend a religious ceremony in a rice field behind the village on Wednesday morning.

Police believe three bruises on Noeun’s back and one on her neck were inflicted while she was being beaten to death with a wooden stick.

Thy and Phim have denied the accusations.

Meanwhile, a 42-year-old woman was arrested yesterday in Prey Veng province after allegedly striking her husband on the head with an axe and killing him on Saturday night, said Pea Reang district police chief Sim Kosal.

Suspect Youn Sophea’s case was to be sent to provincial court today where she was expected to be charged with the alleged murder of her husband, Hoeun Horn, 47.

Horn had arrived home drunk and had been beating the suspect before she grabbed the axe, Kosal said.