Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Bodyguard’s murder-suicide claims two-star general, woman

Bodyguard’s murder-suicide claims two-star general, woman

Military police direct an ambulance yesterday at a government building in Phnom Penh where three people were killed in a murder-suicide.
Military police direct an ambulance yesterday at a government building in Phnom Penh where three people were killed in a murder-suicide. Pha Lina

Bodyguard’s murder-suicide claims two-star general, woman

The chief bodyguard for Cambodia’s National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces (NPMEC) yesterday fatally shot two colleagues before killing himself at the centre’s Phnom Penh headquarters in what officials said was a murder-suicide sparked by a rejected marriage proposal.

Armed with a handgun, Sem Ratha, a 32-year-old who heads the centre’s bodyguard contingent, shot the centre’s human resources director, Oum Sophear, 35, and office assistant Seng Marina, 37, shortly after arriving at the complex in Tuol Kork district at about 9am before turning the gun on himself, according to military police spokesman Eng Hy.

Though Hy declined to provide further details, NPMEC director-general Sem Sovanny said the shooting was sparked by “a young lovers’ issue”. He said Marina – who was rushed to Phnom Penh’s Preah Kossamak hospital but died from her wounds – recently rejected a marriage proposal from the shooter.

“The guy proposed for an engagement, but the girl rejected because she felt that she is older than him,” Sovanny said. “He then proposed marriage, but [she] rejected him.”

Sovanny said the shooting of Sophear, a two-star general, was sparked by “jealousy”.

The National Police website yesterday described the incident as a “love triangle”, though sources working at the centre said there was no indication Sothear was romantically involved with Malina.

“These three are good people, with nice attitudes who talk politely,” one worker, who requested anonymity, said.

“Sophear is married and the two dead people are single. I think Oum Sophear has a wife and they seem to have a good relationship together, like a happy family.”

NPMEC deputy director-general Phal Samorn said that Marina and Sophear had worked closely together in the same office, which may have upset Ratha.

“When he saw [them working together], he got jealous and that caused him, through anger, to kill,” Samorn said.

Samorn also noted Ratha had turned his attention to Marina after a previous marriage proposal to another woman in the office was also rejected.

Another employee at the centre – which is responsible for building the peacekeeping capacity of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and training personnel in peacekeeping operations and the clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance – yesterday said the shooter approached the victims separately at close range.

“Oum Sophear had just arrived at work and was unlocking the door to his office on the second floor when Sen Ratha came and shot him there,” said the source, who declined to be named and said that he did not see the incident, but had spoken to people there at the time.

“Then Sen Ratha took the elevator to the fifth floor. A woman saw him with a gun and ran out of the room but Seng Marina was still there, so he shot her and then shot himself.”

Reached yesterday, Marina’s father said he was shocked by the news and knew nothing about Ratha’s advances on his daughter.

“She never mentioned anything related to love or anyone interested in her,” he said.

“Her personality is such that she’s not interested in love; she was just focused on her study. She had recently graduated with her master’s degree in management.”

Distraught, he hung up without providing his name.

Hy, the military police spokesman, said that officers are continuing to investigate the case.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry using ChatGPT AI to ‘ease workload’; Khmer version planned

    The Digital Government Committee is planning to make a Khmer language version of popular artificial intelligence (AI) technology ChatGPT available to the public in the near future, following extensive testing. On March 9, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications revealed that it has been using the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to