The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday sentenced Sin Sophal, 35, to life in prison and ordered her to pay 120 million riel to the family of the victim whom she was convicted of killing and cutting into pieces in June.

The trial ended on December 25, last year.

Judge Duch Sok Sarin who read the verdict before Sophal on Monday, said: “The court has decided to sentence the accused according to Article 200 of the Criminal Code.

“If the accused is not satisfied with the verdict, the accused can file an appeal to the Appeal Court.”

Muong Thun Leaphy, the lawyer for the family of the victim, Kim Yatieng, told The Post after the verdict was pronounced that the life sentence served as justice for her client.

Defence lawyer Kong Heng said that it was the judge’s discretion to hand his client a life sentence. “I am not sure whether to appeal against the decision or not. I have to discuss it with my client first,” he said.

Phen Phirun, Yatieng’s brother, said the victim was a hairdresser who had known Sophal for a year before the murder, which took place in February last year.

He said during their relationship, Sophal usually borrowed money from Yatieng, though he was unsure how much was borrowed.

“According to her confession during the trial, Sophal said she had borrowed $700 from Yatieng,” Phirun said.

During the hearing last week at the Phnom Penh municipal court, Sophal told Judge Sok Sarin that she had no intention to kill Yatieng.

She said she killed her because Yatieng often came to her house and threatened to tell her [Sophal’s] husband about the money she had borrowed if she did not return it.

Sophal said she had borrowed $700 from Yatieng and she wanted to pay $350 first and the rest later, but Yatieng refused. Sophal said Yatieng threatened to tell everyone about the money that was borrowed, which caused Sophal to plan the killing.

She said on the day of the incident, the victim entered her house and went to the restroom. Then, she went behind her and strangled Yatieng to death.

Sophal said she put a scarf in Yatieng’s mouth, tied her arms and legs, and put her body in a bedroom before storing it in the refrigerator.

Two or three days later, she cut the victim’s arms, legs, head, abdomen, and chest, and put them in black plastic bags which she left on a riverbank.

Sophal was arrested by Phnom Penh military police on June 11.