A prosecutor at the Stung Treng Provincial Court said he provisionally charged five men with theft on Friday after they admitted to stealing and killing a commune official’s cow in Sesan district on Tuesday.
Lao Thun, 26; Thai Ma, 20, To Chamrong, 22; Say Sokhom, 33, and Chan Thaisay, 35, all admitted to using an illegal wire trap to steal a cow belonging to Khang On, the first deputy chief of Talat commune, prosecutor Chea Pich said.
The five suspects were seen carving up the carcass of the missing cow in a nearby forest after Mr. On raised the alarm.
“After questioning, those five suspects confessed that they stole a cow from the commune official with the purpose of selling the meat,” Mr. Pich said, adding that the charge of theft carries a prison term of between six months to three years.
A judge at the court could not be reached on Friday to confirm if the five had been officially charged.
