A 30-year-old man was tried yesterday by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on a more than five-year-old charge of attempted murder committed against three women in the capital’s Dangkor district.

Victim Chhon Sokhim, 28, told the judge that on November 6, 2011, Khiev Bunthen slashed her with a machete and beat up her mother, 54-year-old Brok Soeun, and little sister, 22-year-old Kan Sokhim.

According to the victims’ testimonies, Bunthen ran away from his home until he reemerged in 2015 to take his wife to hospital. Sokhim’s husband spotted him and personally handed him over to police.

At trial, Bunthen confessed to attacking the three women as revenge for the family filing a complaint against him alleging that he had raped one of their daughters.

“I was so angry that they filed the complaint saying I raped their daughter,” said Bunthen, who was sentenced in absentia on November 30, 2012, to 15 years in jail and ordered to pay $2,000 to the victims.

“I would like to conclude that suspect Khiev Bunthen committed a serious crime against the victims, following them from behind and attempting to kill them.

Therefore, please render the judge’s verdict dated November 30 as valid,” said prosecutor Keo Sokunthea.

A final verdict is due to be handed down on January 28. During the hearing yesterday, the victims each asked for $10,000 in compensation.