A British man jailed over the fatal shooting of a Serbian man during an argument in Phnom Penh

     

                                              

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea    

A British man was charged and detained by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on February 19, 2023 over the fatal shooting of a Serbian man during an argument in Chamkar Mon in December.

The murder took place at about 11:45am on December 24 at a hotel in the district’s Tonle Bassac commune.

A court document identified the accused as Joseph Swartz alias Alex, 28, a British online musician.  

The victim was identified as Dackovi Strahijai, 37, a tourist.  

Swartz was charged with “murder and unauthorised holding a weapon” under Articles 199 and 490 of the Criminal Code. 

If convicted, he faces a jail term of between 10 and 15 years.

Lieutenant Colonel Veng Sarith, Municipal Penal Police Department, deputy chief said yesterday that at about midnight on December 24, a report was received that a foreign man had been shot to death by an unknown suspect at a hotel in Tonle Bassac commune.

He said penal police officers later questioned a Cambodian woman Phan Sophath, 44, who was the victim’s girlfriend.

He said that the woman suspected Swartz and showed a photo to the police.

Lt Col Sarith said the municipal penal police cooperated with the penal police department in the Ministry of Interior to search for the suspect but could not trace him because he kept moving residence.

He said that on Thursday police arrested Swartz after receiving information that was in a restaurant in Phsar Doeum Thkov commune, Chamkar Mon district.


He added that after his arrest, police seized a pistol (gun), seven bullets, a small package of crystal meth and personal belongings from him. 

“During police interrogation, the accused confessed that he had killed the victim by firing three shots before fleeing the scene,” Lt. Col. Sarith said.

“He confessed that he killed the victim because he was angry with him for always threatening to kill him whenever he became drunk and both of them had several arguments previously. 

He added that the accused now had been sent by the investigative judge to temporary detention at the Correctional Center I (CC1) pending trial. END

 

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