Kim Marintha (left) and Va Dary pose for a picture together at an unknown location on an unknown date. PHOTO SUPPLIED
A two-star military general wanted for the brutal murder of his wife and 6-year-old daughter was arrested in Thailand on Saturday and sent back to Phnom Penh, where he was charged with premeditated murder Sunday.
Kim Marintha, a Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) major general, was arrested on Saturday while attempting to cross the Thai-Lao border by car, according to police. He was charged by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Sunday, officials said.
Major General Marintha is accused of murdering his wife, Va Dary, 30, and their 6-year-old daughter, whose decomposed bodies were discovered in Kompong Speu province’s Phnom Sruoch district in March.
“He is accused of premeditated murder, which shall be punished by life in prison,” deputy court prosecutor Keo Socheat said Sunday.
Judge Khy Chhai said the general was sent to pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison.
Prum Sareoun, deputy director of the Interior Ministry’s penal police, said Maj. Gen. Marintha fled to Thailand about a month ago, after his son-in-law Chea Sok Samnang was arrested as an accomplice to the murders.
“The Cambodian Interpol Police went to Thailand on September 12 because we knew that he tried to cross the Thai-Lao border,” Mr. Sareoun said, referring to the international police agency.
“Cambodian Interpol and the Thai Interpol arrested the suspect,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Marintha, who owns the GST Express Bus company in Phnom Penh, was added to Interpol’s list of most-wanted persons earlier this month, along with his son Kim Sem Rithy, who remains at large and is wanted for allegedly hiding the bodies and using illegal weapons.
“His son went with his son-in-law to drop off the bodies,” Mr. Sareoun said.
According to a penal police report, Maj. Gen. Marintha ordered his staff at GST to buy “big, black plastic bags” on February 12, three days before he allegedly murdered his wife and daughter. A large cooler was also purchased.
On February 14, Maj. Gen. Marintha took his family to visit his wife’s parents in Kompong Cham province, where an argument broke out between the general and Va Dary over an online relationship she was having with a man in Japan, the report says.
Va Dary’s mother, Mey Lyly, 50, told police that following the altercation, her daughter wanted a divorce, it says.
On February 15, according to the report, Maj. Gen. Marintha invited his wife and daughter to his office at GST’s headquarters at about 3 p.m.—and emerged alone.
Hours later, at about midnight, his son-in-law arrived at the building and assigned a security guard to load a large cooler into a Lexus SUV, the report says, adding that Maj. Gen. Marintha’s room was a mess and had woman’s hair strewn about it.
“The two victims were killed by having their necks broken,” the report says.
On February 16, Maj. Gen. Marintha had security footage altered to remove evidence of the cooler being loaded into the SUV, it adds.
Leaving the municipal court Sunday, Maj. Gen. Marintha refused to comment on the charges against him.
“I refuse to say anything,” he said. “I don’t have much time, so I want to talk to my lawyer.”
Men Somony, Maj. Gen. Marintha’s lawyer, also declined to comment.
4 comments:
You see? That corrupted and murderious Khmer General did not run to Vietnam, but Thailand. Vietnam is the savior and protector for Cambodia.
-Drgunzet-
Hey opportunities VC, he ran to Thailand because in Thailand police will try to capture you alive. In VC country your VC police will kill before a fair trial. Even criminals like a free country like Thailand more. For all we know he might be was framed by CPP. If he really killed mother and daughter he deserved a fair trial and then be hang slowly. Killing the young wife is wrong but a crime of passion, this is not death or life punishment. Killing innocent 6 years old child IS DEATH PENALTY IN MY OPINION. Even animal will try to protect it's child. This guy worst than aninal if proven he ordered or commited himself.
Your VC Vietnam was never a savior to Khmer people who love Cambodia.
funny drgunzet the veit killed cambodian secretly and sweetly without knowing.ex one of my friend he a district leader and one day he went to veitname for tour and just took blood test and the result he got liver problem and then need to tread ,so from then he went to veitname aolt of time and spending alot of money but never improved after few years the doctor send him home and not even tell him or prescribe anything .back home he just wait a few day and die .so evrybody know if you sick and go to srok youn 99% die.GOD bless all cambodian people'
-Drgunzet- has been bullshitting all over the place. He is like a parasite into the web space trying to tease, pick on, make up and create the fake story of others and then cover up the hypocrite story of land thieves of nation, Vietcong or Vietnam (original name Yuon).
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