FEBRUARY 16: Kong Tai, 22, a Vietnamese citizen, was found dead at 1pm

in his bathroom in Psah Doeum Kor commune, Phnom Penh. Police said Tai, the nephew

of a local fruit vendor, had had his throat cut by three Vietnamese workers, who

then stole his handphone. The police are searching for the suspects.

 

FEBRUARY 16: The body of a 21-year-old man, Chuon Cheang, was found on

Route 6A in Koh Rokar village, Muk Kampoul district, Kandal. Police said Cheang was

probably hit by a vehicle as he crossed the street while drunk.

FEBRUARY 17: Nhien Sothy, 17, was sent to the provincial hospital for treatment

after he was severely wounded at midnight in Anlong Ron village, Thmar Kaul district,

Battambang. Police said Sothy, an orphan who was staying with his brother, shot himself

in the groin with a homemade gun while trying to catch a rat in a rice field.

FEBRUARY 17: Mao Theary, 22, was shot dead while riding his motorbike with

friends on their way to a midnight festival in Trapaing Thmar village, Kampong Siem

district, Kampong Cham. An eyewitness told police Theary was shot in the stomach

with an AK-47 by Or Sienghou, deputy police chief of Kra La commune. Sienghou escaped

after the shooting.

FEBRUARY 17: Chieng Sophal, 48, was knifed to death in Ror Veang village,

Choeung Prey district, Kampong Cham. Police said Sophal, a district planning office

manager, was chopped seven times from behind while getting into his friend's car.

Huon Thau, 33, a soldier, was later arrested. He had earlier argued with Sophal at

a dance hall.

FEBRUARY 18: A 16-year-old youth was arrested on suspicion of a rape committed

two weeks earlier in Phnom Penh. Police said the family of the victim, a 14-year-old

girl, complained that she was raped after being held for a week at the Bun Pao Guesthouse

in Boeung Raing precinct. The alleged rapist was set free after his family paid $1,000

to the victim.

FEBRUARY 18: A 13-year-old girl was raped at the riverside in Autras Chas

village, Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville. Police said the victim told them that

Long Siem, 33, persuaded her to go fishing 3 kilometers from her village, then raped

her after handing over 6,000 riel. He was later arrested.

FEBRUARY 19: Un Soda, 27, was arrested for attempted murder at 2pm in Tuol

Sangke village, Russei Keo district, Phnom Penh. Police said Soda's 58-year-old stepfather,

Ros Saren, complained Soda had threatened to kill him with a knife. Saren had earlier

criticized him as a drunk when he came across him drinking wine with his friends.

FEBRUARY 19: Choeun Sarin, 38, was arrested for a domestic violence offense

in Pang Ror village, Dangkor district on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Police said

Sarin's wife, Ym Muon, 38, told police she was beaten and knocked down during a quarrel

after she refused to sell her land. The argument came about after Sarin said he was

leaving her for another woman.

FEBRUARY 19: Chey Sokhom, 32, a soldier from Unit 70E, was shot and wounded

during a fight at a drinking establishment at 9:30pm in Psah Depot 3 precinct, Phnom

Penh. Police said Sokhom was shot in the thigh by Pen Chivorn, 28, a soldier based

at the Ministry of Defense, who was also wounded. Chivorn was angry after Sokhom

falsely said he was HIV-positive.

FEBRUARY 19: Yim Rithy, 17, was robbed while riding his motorbike at 6:30pm

on 122 Street in Psah Depot 3 precinct, Phnom Penh. Rithy told police that three

people on a motorbike blocked him and hit him on the back of the head with a handgun.

They shot several times into the air, then stole his bike and escaped.

FEBRUARY 19: Hok Chea, 45, was shot dead at 1:45pm at his villa in Mondul

2 village, Mittapheap district, Sihanoukville. His cleaner told police that Chea,

a guest-house owner from Kampong Trach district, Kampot province, was shot twice

with a K-54 handgun by two men while discussing rental terms with them. Police said

the two were probably hired killers.

FEBRUARY 19: Meas Chhem, 25, a construction worker, was sent to the Russian

Hospital after he was severely injured in a quarrel at a coffeeshop at 10:30pm in

Boeung Keng Kang 3 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Chhem was beaten on the head

with a stick by fellow-workers, San Kia, 29, and San Thea, 26, who were later arrested.

Kia was angry that Chhem had accidentally stepped on his foot.

FEBRUARY 20: Hong Chea, 31, was beaten nearly to death after trying to

steal a motorbike at 11:45am in Olympic commune, Phnom Penh. Police said Chea was

beaten by a mob after motorbike owner Srey Ti, 28, shouted for help to stop the thief.

Chea was sent to Preah Kossamak Hospital for treatment after being handed over to

police.

FEBRUARY 20: A 50-year-old woman, Hong Nget, was found hanging at 4:30pm

in her kitchen in Psah Depot 2 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Nget, who was married

with four children, hanged herself with a krama after battling a long illness.

FEBRUARY 21: Kouk Lieng, 42, a manager of a road construction company in

Kratie province, was robbed while in a car outside his guesthouse at 3pm in Boeung

Pralit commune, Phnom Penh. Lieng told police that two people on a motorbike took

aim at him with a handgun and stole his bag containing $20,308 after he had come

back from Canadia Bank.

FEBRUARY 21: Mao Poeu, 34, was sent to Preah Sihanouk Hospital after he

was beaten nearly to death at 4pm in Psah Doeum Thkau precinct, Phnom Penh. Police

said Poeu, a moto-taxi driver from Boeung Deng village, Svay Rieng province, was

beaten by a passerby after the parents of a child he had knocked over shouted out

that he was a thief.

FEBRUARY 22: Chan Tha, 44, died instantly in an accident at 7pm in downtown

Sihanoukville. Police said Tha, a taxi-driver's assistant from Phnom Penh, died after

paying 1,000 riel to traffic police. When he went back to the taxi, the driver took

off before he found his footing, causing Tha to fall underneath the rear wheel.

FEBRUARY 22: Nang Vannak, 25, a moto-taxi driver, was knifed and seriously

injured during an attempted robbery at 8pm in Psah Depot 1 precinct, Tuol Kork district,

Phnom Penh. Police said the victim's passenger, Sao Loy, 19, cut Vannak's throat.

Loy was later arrested.

FEBRUARY 23: A 12-year-old girl was raped while returning at midnight from

watching a play in Koh Chomroeun village, Leuk Dek district, Kandal. Police said

the girl was raped by three men who threatened to kill her if she told her parents.

Sam Rin, 20, one of the alleged rapists, was later arrested.

FEBRUARY 23: A 7-year-old boy, Noeu Nhep, was found dead in a lotus lake

at 2:15pm in Tuol Sakor village, Onhea Leu district, Kandal. Police said Nhep, the

son of Nean Eang and Te Phanna, had been stabbed ten times with a knife by an 11-year-old

boy who was angry at being hit during an argument about dividing lotus fruit. The

11-year-old was arrested.

FEBRUARY 25: A skull was found in a drainage pipe in Psah Thmei 1 precinct

on the corner of Street 118 and Norodom Blvd. Because of its poor condition it is

believed to be that of someone executed during the Pol Pot regime. The skull is being

kept at Wat Sarawan.

ñTranslated from Khmer newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun Pheap