Three men have been arrested for allegedly drowning a woman in a canal last Wednesday in Boeung Preah commune, in Prey Veng province’s Ba Phnom district.

Commune police chief Yi Thoeun told The Post on Sunday the primary suspect is Kim Rath, 20. He was accompanied by Horn Long, 18, and a third named Panha.

He said before the incident, the three suspects went to drink and sing karaoke at a restaurant in Reak Chey commune’s Tapech village. After singing karaoke between 8pm and 9pm, they left on one motorcycle together.

While riding on a village road they met the victim and asked her to ride with them. They ran out of gas and Long and Phana walked the motorbike first, leaving the victim and Rath to follow behind.

Rath said during questioning that when his partners left, it was dark at night and he wanted to rape the 26-year-old victim. The victim was bigger, however, and tried to fight back until they fell into the water where she drowned.

Thoeun said while there was no evidence proving the suspect raped the woman as all of her clothes were on her body, he could be charged with murder.

“The man said she drowned. But I think the victim could not drown for no reason,” he said.

The victim’s mother told police her daughter had a mental disorder.

Thoeun said the authorities will send the three suspects to the Prey Veng provincial police for further action.