An inmate at the Sihanoukville prison beat a cellmate to death with a wooden stick during a power outage early Saturday morning, police said Sunday.
Poch Mon, 26, is accused of beating Ek Khol, 29, with a pole used to hold up mosquito netting after the electricity went out for 15 minutes just before 1 am, said prison director Heng Huon.
After the lights went out, the attacker poked Ek Khol in the eye then hit him on the neck until he died, Heng Huon said, adding there were 32 inmates in the cell at the time.
Officials could hear cries coming from the cell but were unable to intervene because of the darkness, Heng Huon said.
When the lights came back on, Poch Mon was standing over the body, tasting the victim’s blood, Heng Huon said.
Poch Mon told police he killed Ek Khol because he was depressed he didn’t have any visitors, Heng Huon said.
Poch Mon is being held in the same cell with his legs bound because the prison doesn’t have room to hold him in solitary confinement, Heng Huon said.
He was originally detained after confessing to the March 20 killing of his co-worker in the Stung Haw district, but has yet to be tried, said Som Saroeun, deputy penal police chief of Mittapheap district.
