The Prey Veng Provincial Court on March 26 placed a local police chief in pre-trial detention following his arrest in Phat Sandong village of Sithor Kandal district’s Pnov I commune for the alleged murder of his mistress and illegal use of a firearm.

Court spokeswoman Art Sokhon identified the suspect as Pnov I commune police chief Mao Sovanhong.

“Prosecutors charged him with murder under Article 199 and illegal possession of a firearm under Article 490 of the Criminal Code and remanded him to the provincial prison,” she said.

District police chief Seng Savon said on March 27 that Sovanhong, 53, was a married man with children, but had a long-term affair with a widow from the commune named Sok Muy, 51.

About two months ago, Muy filed a complaint at Sithor Kandal district police. She made a thumbprinted statement to authorites requesting that they tell Sovanhong to stop communicating with her.

Following the complaint, district police summoned the suspect and told him to stop contacting Muy.

One day, he knocked on her door for almost an entire night in an effort to reconcile with her, but she refused to speak to him.

On the evening of March 24, Muy and a friend went to a wedding reception about 5km away from her home. Sovanhong attended the same wedding reception.

Savon said when the victim and her companion returned home, they were confronted by Sovanhong – who quietly told her friend: “Get away from her. Just drive away. I am going to shoot her and then myself.”

After the friend departed on a motorcycle, the accused produced a pistol and shot Muy in the head and neck, killing her instantly. The accused tried to shoot himself in the head twice but his pistol misfired. Authorities arrested him soon after.

Murder is punishable by 10 to 15 years in prison, while illegal possession of weapons carried a penalty of six months to three years.