The Phnom Penh City Court announced on 10/6 that suspects Zhou Jian Hong, 52, Han De Dong, 43, Ma Rong Gui, 51, and Zhao Feng Quan, 36, were charged with kidnapping and murdering Yang Weixin, a 53-year-old Chinese real estate company owner.

Local residents discovered Yang’s body inside a Toyota Prius in a vacant lot in Dangkor district on 30/5. Police found two knives, tissues, and blood-stained tape at the scene.

A forensic examination determined Yang died from multiple stab wounds and beatings.

Four Chinese suspects accused of murdering a fellow businessman in Cambodia. *Photo: Khmer Times*

Cambodian police extracted security camera footage from the victim's apartment in Chroy Changvar district, showing him being kidnapped by a group of people on 29/5.

The victim's wife reported that the kidnappers called her around 3h on 30/5, demanding a two million USD cryptocurrency ransom. Unable to comply, she reported it to the police. The suspects continued sending messages until 9h, with the final message stating, "It's over."

After tracking the Toyota Prius, police raided a rented villa in Sen Sok district on 4/6, arresting the four suspects and seizing four phones, two oto, one motorcycle, and two passports.

One of the four later confessed, stating they had a long-standing business dispute with the victim from their time in China. Upon learning Yang was in Cambodia, the group planned the kidnapping. The suspect claimed they killed Yang after failing to secure the ransom and fearing he might identify them.

As Cambodian law does not impose the death penalty, the maximum sentence the suspects face if convicted is life imprisonment.

Duc Trung (According to Khmer Times, Phnom Penh Post, AP)