O NE of the policemen guarding the house of the Cambodian People's Party Honorary President Heng Samrin shot and killed himself Sept 5 at the Chamkamon Presidential Palace after he had been robbed of his motorcycle, according to police.

Police Maj Ly Heang said the body of Khuon Yen, 25, was not discovered until Sept 7 at 9 am.

He said police were convinced it was a case of suicide after a letter, whose writing was recognized by Yen's sister-in-law, was found with the body.

Witnesses said they heard three gunshots at the scene, but when the police came, they found nobody there. A report in Koh Santipheap (the Island of Peace) newspaper said the body was found by a boy living nearby who was looking for his missing pig.

Yen, who had worked as a protection police at Heng Samrin's house for two years, wrote a seven paged letter with some small photographs attached for his mother and sister-in-law to say that the suicide was motivated by his shame after his motorcycle was stolen by three robbers who used a toy hand gun.

"I realize that this is wrong to kill myself, but I'm so sorry [to lose] the money you have saved with great difficulty and given to buy the motorcycle," the letter said.