Two suspects have been charged with murdering a man in Kandal province in February after police tracked them down and arrested them on Thursday.

Kandal Provincial Court Investigating Judge Ath Chan Dara charged the two on Monday after it was discovered they killed 27-year-old Phorn Sokkhorn by smashing his head into a mango tree in Koh Tom district’s Prek Thmey commune.

Court spokesman Tin Sochetra identified the suspects as Doy Phae, 25, and Rech Chhai, 23.

“Investigating Judge Ath Chan Dara charged them for murder under Article 199 of the Criminal Code,” he said.

They face between 10 and 15 years in prison if found guilty.

A provincial police officer who asked to remain anonymous said on Monday that on October 8, Takeo provincial police arrested Chhai in Leay Bor commune, in Takeo province’s Tram Kak district.

He had escaped from Thmey commune, Kandal’s Koh Thom district. The arrest was requested by the Kandal provincial police.

After Chhai’s arrest, Takeo provincial authorities sent him to Kandal provincial police. Authorities then questioned Chhai and started searching for Phae, whom they found and arrested on the same day in Kandal’s Koh Thom district.

Chhai confessed to authorities that on the night of February 17, he was smoking drugs with Pha and Sokkhorn. Sokkhorn allegedly smoked more drugs than the other two, prompting Phai to become angry. Phai then allegedly grabbed Sokkhorn by the hair and banged his head into a mango tree, killing him, the official said.

The suspects buried Sokkhorn at a mango farm in Koh Thom district’s Thmey commune. After burying the body, they returned home at around 11pm that night. Chhai feared police would arrest him and he fled to his aunt’s house in Takeo’s Tram Kak district, where he was arrested after police tracked him down.