A military officer was sent to the Phnom Penh municipal Military Police for questioning on Monday after “accidentally” shooting his wife to death in Meanchey district’s Chak Angre Krom commune and fleeing to neighbouring Kandal province.

National Military Police spokesperson Eng Hy told The Post that the man turned himself in hours after taking her body to Kandal the previous day for unspecified reasons. Hy identified the officer as a 58-year-old major at the Ministry of National Defence.

“I don’t know when he will be sent to court. Wait until the [investigation] work is done,” he said, declining to provide further details.

Citing the suspect’s accounts, a Military Police officer who asked to remain anonymous said the general took his wife’s body to Sa’ang district’s Prek Koy commune after the killing. He then reported the incident to commune police, who referred the case to the Phnom Penh Military Police as it was outside its jurisdiction.

He said the major confessed to killing Som Sareab out of jealousy. Before the incident, he said the couple was driving to a restaurant in Chak Angre Krom commune and had a heated argument in the car.

During the altercation, the general accidentally discharged his K59 handgun. Sareab died instantly from wounds to her jaw.

Kandal deputy Military Police commander Touch Inan said the case is now in the hands of the municipal Military Police.

“We’ve already sent the body and the car to the Phnom Penh Military Police. I don’t have any further details yet,” he said.