A security guard arrested for his alleged involvement the gruesome slaying of an elderly Malaysian businessman and his Cambodian maid during a home invasion in Phnom Penh early Wednesday morning, has denied playing any part in the crime and no further suspects have been identified, police said yesterday.
Lem Thiang Ang, 71, the owner of gas station supply company Karasan Equipment Co Ltd, was killed in Chamkar Mon district’s Boeng Keng Kang I commune along with his Cambodian maid, Hem Maly, 65, at about 1 am Wednesday.
The night security guard for the residence, Nop Tiro, 22, was injured during the raid, but then arrested late Wednesday for being involved with the murder suspects, who fled the residence empty handed after attempting to steal a safe.
District police chief Ouch Sokhon said yesterday that investigations were continuing and that police were still collecting forensic evidence from the crime scene.
Mr Sokhon said Mr Tiro “has not confessed” to playing a part in the crime and that two other suspects to the double killing are yet to be identified.
A long-time supervisor at Karasan Equipment, Hel Samnang, said yesterday that Mr Tiro had been privately employed as a guard by the company for the past seven months, adding that not many staff members had gotten to know him because of his night time working hours.
“I never really met him, as I come to work during the day and he comes to work at night,” Mr Samnang said. “Only Mr Lem and the maid really know him as they were the only ones there at night.”
International Business Chamber Chairman Brett Sciaroni said yesterday that he did not believe the murder of the Malaysian businessman was cause for concern for foreign investors in Cambodia.
“I would take the view that this incident is more likely a one off and that it would not have any dire consequences for foreign investment here in Cambodia,” Mr Sciaroni said.
“An ugly crime like this is unusual and not representative of the Cambodian business environment.”
