The victim in a Kampong Speu province murder, for which two men – one a famous boxer – were arrested on Monday, was a local Cambodia National Rescue Party activist, but his killing was likely unrelated to politics, police maintained.
CNRP deputy president Kem Sokha attended shopkeeper and activist Sann Soeun’s funeral yesterday, but according to deputy provincial police chief Sam Samuon, the killing was born of a personal dispute.
“[The suspects] have already confessed, so we are investigating further to find the people who hired them. But this is absolutely not a political matter,” Samuon said. “It was pure spite.”
Soeun, 67, was killed on Monday night when the two suspects – Chhuong Vannak, aka Rasmey or Ngol, 34, and boxer Try Kun, 32 – allegedly came to his store to buy a case of beer.
After handing Soeun the money, one of the men shot Soeun in the back of the head with a K-59 pistol as he turned around to get change, then fled the scene.