Suspect Arrested After Hiring Hitman To Kill Chief Monk
Kandal: On the afternoon of December 27, 2020, a suspect who is believed to have ordered the killing of the chief abbot of Wat Chet in Vihear Luong commune, Ponhea Leu district, Kandal province was detained and imprisoned by the court.
The suspect, Lao Try, alias Kheang, male, 51 years old, is a businessman who splits lots for sale and resides in Phsar Dek village, Phsar Dek commune, Ponhea Leu district, Kandal.
The murder was discovered at 8:20 AM on December 20, 2020 at Wat Chet Thmey in Chet Thmey village, Vihear Luong commune, Ponhea Leu district, province. Phok Thearith, alias Ta Toeu, alias Ta Top, 53 years old, was srangled and found in bed.
After a murder investigation was opened, one week later, on December 27th, Kandal provincial police arrested a man in connection with the case. The man confessed in front of the police that on the day of October 2020, at around 11 noon, a man called Sreng Srun agreed to kill the victim for $ 7,000 and he agreed.
He admitted that he missed about 20 days later, at about 4 pm, Sreng Srun (the perpetrator) called him and said the price for the killing had changed to $ 10,000, which was agreed upon and the suspect handed over $ 3,000 in advance. On December 19, 2020, at 6:40 pm, Sreng Srun called to tell him that the deed would be done.
The same source continued that at around 10 pm on the same day, Sreng Srun, the assailant, was telegramed to say that the the victim had been killed, and it was agreed the men would meet the next day, at 10:30 in the morning.
The suspect drove a Toyota Prius and took the money to meet Sreng Srun and handed over $ 7,000 through the window. He said that when the police asked him questions, not to answer, and also to delete phone numbers and related photos.
The suspect said he planned to kill the monk was because he took a house and market stall in Phnom Penh and 2 lots in Trach Market, Kampong Chhnang Province. He also took $ 11,500 from the victim to build a house but did not build it. The victim allowed the suspect to use his (the suspect’s) name on some property titles, which the suspect secretly sold.
The suspect found out that the victim was due retire at the end of this year and would return to take control of all his property and houses, and would discover the suspect had misappropriated them. AREY
