The Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court on Monday detained a man suspected of killing a neighbour after an argument at a wedding in the province’s Mongkul Borey district on May 15.

The suspect has been charged by the authorities with “premeditated murder”, said Seth Los, Banteay Meanchey provincial deputy police chief.

He said the suspect, Iv Bunmao, 32, was arrested on Sunday, two days after he disappeared after allegedly beating the 56-year-old victim, Sok Korng, to death with a stick.

“After the arrest, the suspect admitted that he had killed the victim by using a stick to hit the man about the head, neck and body,” Los said.

“He then dragged and dumped the body in a river to destroy the evidence. “He planned the murder after the victim behaved inappropriately at the wedding banquet by stroking his sister’s body and insulting her,” he continued

Los added that the suspect is being detained at Banteay Meanchey Provincial Prison while awaiting trial.