APRIL 8: A 10-year-old boy, Tung Chith, was killed by lightning during

heavy rain in the dry season at around 5 p.m. in Russei Mouy village, Battambang

province. Police said Chit was struck by a bolt of lightning and died instantly

while playing in a canal with three children.

APRIL 8: Three

gangsters escaped on a motorbike after committing violence at 10:30 p.m. in Prey

Tear village, Phnom Penh. A witness said the gangsters blocked the path of Vong

Chak, 25, and attacked him with swords while he was driving home on a motorbike

from a special dinner hosted by his friend. The witness said the gangsters were

probably angry at Chak for criticizing them when they overtook him and drove in

front of him.

APRIL 8: Ke Chanmakara, 19, and Chan Saran, 17,

were arrested for a rape they committed the previous night in Toul Kraing

village, Kampong Chhnang province. Police said the arrest came after a beer girl

complained that Chanmakara and Saran raped her while she was sleeping at the

guest house where she lived. The rapists were later freed after they paid

700,000 riel damages to the girl.

APRIL 9: A policeman, Pen

Sopheap, 37, was shot dead with a handgun while trying to stop two gunmen

fleeing on a motorbike after they committed a robbery at 6:30 p.m. at a clinic

in O'Russei 2 precinct, Phnom Penh. The clinic's owner, Teng Kunthy, 45, said

the robbers entered the clinic and aimed a gun at him before stealing US$2,000

and 2 million riel. Kunthy said a customer was also robbed of her diamond ring

and a two damleung platinum bracelet.

APRIL 9: Chea Sovanna, 17,

was sent to Calmette Hospital after two people shot him during an argument at

5:30 a.m. on Street 154 in Psar Thmey 3 precinct, Phnom Penh. Sovanna told

police he was shot in the thigh after his motorbike collided with another

motorbike. Sovanna said those people were angry because he stared at them after

the argument.

APRIL 9: A 73-year-old man, Chea Mok, was arrested

by his wife, who later handed him to police after he raped a 14-year-old girl at

12:30 p.m. in Kauk Nguon village, Kampong Thom province. The girl told police

that she had been raped twice. The girl said Mok gave her 500 riel for the first

rape and for the second rape she received 1,000 riel.

APRIL 10: Ly

Moeung, 33, and Meng Eang, 26, were arrested after police found 16 motorbikes in

their house located in O'Russei 4 and Teuk Laak 2 communes, Phnom Penh. Police

said Moeung and Eang were accused of receiving and concealing stolen goods

because they had profited from thievery. Police confiscated the bikes from them

and filed a complaint to take them to trial.

APRIL 10: Police

arrested three people after they were suspected of stealing cows in Banteay

Thleay village, Takeo province. Police said the suspects, Koth Me, 25, Res Rim,

25, and Kang Ben, 28, tried to run away after attempting to steal cows from a

farmer the previous night. The farmer, Pan Chhoeun, said that another accomplice

identified as Ngin Thy, 47, was sent to Vietnam for treatment after he chopped

him in the head with a heavy knife during an attempted theft. Police said Thy

and his accomplices killed a farmer, Khim Kim, 41, with an AK-47 and stole four

of his cows the previous month.

APRIL 11: Police arrested Ke

Samnang, 21, and are looking for two other accomplices who escaped on their

motorbike after an attempted robbery at 1:30 p.m. in Mittapheap village, Russei

Keo district, Phnom Penh. A moto-taxi driver, Doung Rith, 32, said Samnang shot

him in the knee with a K-54 handgun then tried to run away on foot after police

arrived.

APRIL 11: A municipal military policeman, Chum Veasna,

34, was found dead in the early morning at a Tela gasoline station, next to the

Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh. Police said Veasna probably died from dizziness

while working the previous night near the gasoline station.

APRIL

11: A 43-year-old woman, Ream Hun, was shot and she later died at 8:05 p.m.

in Prey Svay village, Battambang province. Her husband told police that his wife

was shot twice with an AK-47 while sitting with him on a bed outside the house

in the early evening. Police suspect revenge was the motivation for the killing

because the gunman escaped on foot empty-handed.

APRIL 13: Srey

Touch, 30, was arrested after she attacked a woman with a knife in Boeng Keng

Kang 1 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Touch stabbed Moeun Bunnak, 32, in the

chest during an argument. Bunnak died later at a hospital.

APRIL

13: Eath Phirun, 28, was sent to a provincial hospital for surgery after

being shot in a robbery at 8:30 p.m. in Roong village, Kampong Thom province.

Phirun said three gunmen blocked the path of his bicycle and shot him twice with

an AK-47. They ran away on foot after stealing his watch.

APRIL

13: Yim Sophal, 42, a moto-taxi driver, was knifed to death while eating

dinner at 7:30 p.m. in Trapaing Chhouk village, Phnom Penh. His wife told police

that two people entered the house and stabbed her husband in the throat before

escaping. Police said revenge was the reason for the killing because Sophal had

recently argued with his attackers.

APRIL 15: A French

journalist, Jean Marc Matchane, 47, was found dead at a guesthouse in Boeng Keng

Kang 2 precinct, Phnom Penh. Police said Matchane probably died from a drug

overdose because one pill, two syringes and some other medicines were found in

his room. Police sent the body to Calmette Hospital and were waiting for a

decision from the French Embassy.

APRIL 16: The body of a

12-year-old girl, Neat Sokrang, was found in a deep well at 7 a.m. a day after

she went missing in Posh Tasom village, Kampong Thom province. Police said the

girl was raped and strangled before her body was dumped in the well. Police are

investigating the murder.

APRIL 16: A group of ten people escaped

after killing a farmer, Kham Kak, 48, in a nighttime dancing argument during the

last day of the Khmer New Year in Take Thmey village, Ang Snoul district, Kandal

province. A witness told police that the people were angry and attacked Kak with

axes and heavy knives after he stepped on the foot of one of the gangsters while

they were dancing to rock music.

APRIL 17: Nuon Sinarth, 20, and

Sok Cheyrouthanak, were shot and wounded while throwing water during the Khmer

New Year at 6:20 p.m. in Wat Phnom precinct, Phnom Penh. A witness said a man

passing by became angry when a plastic bag full of water was emptied on his head

while he was riding a motorbike. He shot Sinarth in the waist, then shot

Cheyrouthanak in the stomach with a handgun.

- Translated from Khmer

newspapers Koh Santepheap and Rasmei Kampuchea by Aun Pheap