JANUARY 3: Seng Ly, 64, a pharmacist from France, was found dead at 7:30
am at his house in Rolous village, Svay Chek district, Banteay Meanchey. Police said
Ly was axed three times by his 20-year-old adopted son, Ry, who escaped after stealing
a motorbike and his gold necklace.
JANUARY 4: A married couple was shot dead with an AK-47 while threshing
rice at 7:30 pm behind their house in Kra Huong village, Kampot province. Police
said Soun Kroeun, 47, was shot three times and Long Phan, 43, was shot once. The
police said the motive was family revenge as there had recently been a dispute about
property. Long Phan was a Funcinpec candidate for the February commune council elections.
JANUARY 4: Keo Phal, 18, was sent to hospital after being shot and severely
wounded during a dancing quarrel at midnight in Svay Chour village, Ratanak Mondul
district, Battambang. Witnesses told police that Phal was shot once with an AK-47
after an argument with three people over his popularity as a dance partner.
JANUARY 5: Chen Gong, 36, a Chinese national, was shot dead while eating
dinner at 6:30 pm at the Pacific Kiss restaurant on Kampuchea Krom Street in Phnom
Penh. Police said Gong, the restaurant owner, was shot in the throat and three times
in the chest with a K-59 handgun. Yi Yeng, 43, a taxi driver, was later arrested.
JANUARY 5: Nget Puthy, 32, died in the Russian Hospital after being shot
in a robbery at 6:30 pm while riding a motorbike with his wife on 187 Street in Tumnop
Teuk village, Chamcarmon district, Phnom Penh. Police said Puthy, a doctor at Kantha
Bopha 2 Hospital, was shot in the chest with a handgun by one of three people on
a motorbike.
JANUARY 5: Ou Hieng, 21, a vegetable seller, was found hanging at 4 pm
at her house in Boeng Keng Kang 2 commune, Phnom Penh. Her father, Ou Try, 58, told
police his daughter hanged herself over a $160 debt.
JANUARY 5: Ly Menghour, 14, was shot dead with an AK-47 during a robbery
at 8:50 pm in Prey Tatrao village, Kampong Thom province. Police said five people
entered his house and shot him in the chest while he tried to close the door on them.
The robbers stole a motorbike and some jewelry and kidnapped his parents, Sok Him,
55, and Lim Than, 46, for $20,000 ransom.
JANUARY 5: Touch Sien, 42, was shot dead while asleep at midnight at her
home in Daun Liep village, Svay Rieng province. Police said Sien, a widow with four
children, was shot four times in the chest with an AK-47. Police said the motive
was robbery. Sien was a commune candidate for the Sam Rainsy Party in the February
commune council elections.
JANUARY 6: A 13-year-old girl, Chhem Danich, was found dead in a well in
Liav village, Kampong Thom. Police said Danich was raped then murdered two days earlier
after she went to a dance at a neighbor's wedding. Her platinum earrings and one
chi gold necklace were stolen. Police arrested Pin Hay, 28.
JANUARY 7: Ly Min, 25, a shrimp farm worker, was sent to the municipal
hospital for treatment after being axed and seriously injured at noon in Chamkar
Daung Riem location, Prey Nop district, Sihanoukville. Police said Min was knocked
down and chopped once in the head while trying to arrest eight people who tried to
steal shrimps from the farm.
JANUARY 7: Nguon Mengly, a policeman from the Ministry of Interior, was
knifed and severely injured at 6:10 am in Psah Thmei 3 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police
said Mengly was chopped seven times by three gangsters after one of their accomplices
was arrested during a robbery. Touch Nimuol, 37, one of the arrested men, was later
freed on the orders of deputy prosecutor Khut Sopheang after his family paid $350.
JANUARY 8: One person died and two others were injured during an accident
in the morning while riding a motorbike on Route 4 in Mongkol Borey village, Ang
Snoul district, Kandal. Police said Kang Kak, 48, died from head injuries after his
bike hit a chicken and then an oncoming moto-remork .
JANUARY 8: Tham Vanthan, 45, was shot dead at 7:30 pm while investigating
a barking dog in front of his house in Lak Anloung village, Samrong Tong district,
Kampong Speu. His daughter, Tham Kanitha, 18, told police that her father was shot
in the throat and axed twice in the neck by three masked gunmen in military uniform
who then raped her mother.
JANUARY 8: A 23-year-old woman, Yar Yart, was found dead in the early morning
about 100 meters behind her house in Anlong Vil village, Sangke district, Battambang.
Police said the victim, who was married with one child, was axed several times after
being raped by her 58-year-old father-in-law, Puot Saing. Saing was later arrested.
JANUARY 9: Yem Yon, 22, a moto-taxi driver, was the victim of an attempted
robbery while carrying two passengers at 4:00 am in Boeng Kak 2 commune, Phnom Penh.
Police said Yon was beaten four times from behind with a stick by his passenger after
he parked to get his fare. The robbers ran off after he shouted for help.
JANUARY 9: Um Kunthea, 28, was sent to the Russian Hospital after being
knifed and severely injured in a quarrel at 7:30 pm in Trapaing Thloeng village,
Dangkor district, Phnom Penh. Police said Kunthea was stabbed five times in the chest
and buttocks by garment worker, Chan Than, 22, who was then arrested. Than was angry
after Kunthea allegedly insulted her family.
JANUARY 9: Sieng Chhon, 43, was knifed and seriously injured during a family
quarrel at around 9 am in Psah Depot 2 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Chhon, owner
of the Kuy Tiev coffee shop, was stabbed in the waist by his wife, Heng Kunthy, 38.
Chhon was angry after his wife sold the business to a neighbor with whom he had argued.
JANUARY 11: Two drug traffickers, Sok Na, 36, a former anti-drugs policeman
from the Ministry of Interior, and Nguyen Dang Ku, 30, a Vietnamese national, were
arrested while selling drugs at around 10 pm in Wat Phnom precinct, Phnom Penh. Police
confiscated 50 pieces of Bama from the traffickers.
JANUARY 11: Chhing Samrong, 36, a professor, died instantly and five students
were severely injured during an accident at noon when their bus overturned in Pouk
district, Siem Reap province, on the way back from Angkor Wat. Police said the victims
were from Pursat's provincial pedagogy department.
- Translated from Khmer newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun
Pheap