The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday sentenced a man who murdered his cousin for her motorbike and cellphone to life imprisonment, while his two co-accused went down for 30 years.

Two others who stored the stolen bike were jailed for two-and-a-half years, as were two of their friends as accomplices.

Chum Vireak, 22, killed his 19-year-old cousin Von Ratha in May last year. He confessed to killing her in a botched attempt to knock her unconscious to steal her motorcycle and phone to buy drugs.

Judge Tob Chun Heng sentenced Vireak to life and Hong Sochota, 21, and Lim Panhavon, 22, each to 30 years in prison for premeditated murder and theft with aggravating circumstances.

They were ordered to pay the victim’s family around $10,000. Kry Chanthou, and Leng Dany were sentenced to two-and-a-half years for storing stolen goods. Sok Sophea, 22, and Sok Sopheap, 18, received the same sentence as accomplices.

In the last hearing on March 14, Dany denied involvement.