PHNOM PENH, April 3 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Tuesday charged former Takeo Provincial Governor Lay Vannak and his older brother, Takeo Provincial Deputy Police Chief Lay Narith, with murder in the death of a woman with whom the former governor was having an affair.
Chev Sovathana, 36, a National Assembly staffer and member of the ruling Cambodian People's Party's youth group, was found hanging in her rented villa in southern Takeo province on Jan. 26 this year, and local police reported that it was a suicide.
However, the Interior Ministry launched a re-investigation into the case and found that it was a murder.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophana confirmed that the prosecutor found that Lay Vannak and Lay Narith as well as Choem Vuth, the husband of Chev Sovathana's maid, and Men Samay, Lay Vannak's driver, were involved in the case.
"After launching an investigation by questioning, the prosecutor decided to charge Lay Vannak and Lay Narith with murder under the Article 199 of the Penal Code," Sophana told reporters, adding that Choem Vuth and Men Samay were charged with "hiding leads" under the Article 532 of the Penal Code.
Under the charges, the former governor and his brother could face a prison sentence between 10 and 15 years, while their two helpers could be jailed between one and three years if convicted.
The four suspects were arrested last week.
Posting to his Facebook page on Saturday, a day before his arrest, Lay Vannak acknowledged that he had an affair with Chev Sovathana, but denied that he killed her.
