No leads in child killings: police

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Chrann Chamroeun
Wednesday, 20 May 2009

PHNOM Penh's top police officer said Tuesday he had taken personal charge of the savage killings of the teenage daughters and young nephew of a senior government official, as authorities admitted that they had no leads in the case.

Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth told the Post that while police had no suspects, they were putting in every effort to track down who are believed to be two men who tortured and then bludgeoned to death the youngsters in their home on Sunday.

The attackers also assaulted the girls' mother and stole the equivalent of US$24,000 in cash, along with jewellery and a Toyota Rav4.

"We are actively investigating this case to hunt down the suspects, and we have fingerprinted the abandoned Rav4," he said. "I vow we will not give up our hunt for those who perpetrated this extremely brutal act. They will not escape punishment."

The girls, aged 15 and 17, were the daughters of Tep Darong, president of the Royal Academy for Judicial Professions. His academy was spotlighted in a news report earlier this month over allegations that it that took tens of thousands of dollars from students wanting to be appointed as judges.

Commune police Chief Khim Vanna said speculation that the killings were motivated by revenge was now dismissed, adding that Tep Darong had told police that the media report was untrue.

"There is nothing to shed light on who the suspects are," he told the Post. "[But] it is now very hard to see this case as a revenge case - even though the perpetrators killed the victims after the robbery."