Former Governor of Takeo Province Arrested Over Suspicious Death Case

Phnom Penh- Lay Vannak, the former governor of Takeo, was arrested on Sunday afternoon on the decree accusation of the connection with the suspicious death case of a 36-year-old National Assembly staff member.

On Sunday, Khieu Sopheak, the spokesman of Ministry of Interior, depicted the case as “a knot” that police investigators are working to undo.

“We are reinvestigating this case because of the dissatisfaction of the family and our authorities, who were also dissatisfied,” he said.

The Brother of Lay Vannak, Lay Narith, the provincial Deputy Police Chief, has also been accused of the connection with the death on Saturday with other four suspects – Tak Ratana, Narith’s driver; Men Sakmay, Vannak’s driver; Chan Ry, Sovathana’s maid; Choem Vuth, Ry’s husband.

Kirth Chantharith, the spokesman of National Police has confirmed that the five have been questioned on the same day. Just before his arrest, Vannak has posted a statement on his Facebook page, admitting to a yearlong affair with Sovathana, a CPP Youth working group member; however, he denied his relationship in her death.

The ex-governor of Takeo province during arrest

On the other hand, he insisted that Sovathana had committed suicide when he tried to break the relationship after their relationship has been found by his wife.

“I admitted that we have had the relationship since last year and due to the reason that I decided to break up with her which led to this tragic news. However, I would like to deny all the accusations that my brother and I killed Chev Sovathana.”, Mr. Lay Vannak wrote on Facebook.

“We seriously had not gotten such evil spirits to murder her. I strongly believed the judicial system and our courts will provide justice for us. I will not run away from my party, CPP nor my country.”

The former governor of Takeo province was arrested hours, just after his attendance of the appointment ceremony of the new governor of Takeo. According to local reports, the officials have refused to clarify whether there is a connection between the murder investigation and Vannak’s sudden transfer last week from the governorship of Takeo to an unspecified position at the Ministry of Interior.

In January, Mrs. Chev Sovathana, an active ruling party youth group member, was found hanged in her room in Takeo, of which the case has been declared as a suicide; however, it was later reopened as a murder investigation after family members raised suspicions.

The pictures of Lay Vannak and Mrs. Chev Sovathana