Two soldiers, who killed a Taungup businessman, made free by junta officer

Two junta soldiers, who killed Taungup businessman U San Thein Aung and took away his belongings including his motorcycle and cell phone, were caught red-handed by the locals.

Later they handed over the soldiers to the police, but the army took away them by threatening the police personnel.

On 26 September, a soldier from LIB 346 named Kaung Myat Aung was detained by some residents as he came to sell the motorcycle of San Thein Aung at a shop for Kyats 11,00,000 in the afternoon hours.

Family members of the victim identified the soldiers as the  killer and hence the villagers caught him.

But as soon as the news spread, a military officer arrived at the police station and forced them to release the soldier. Finally he took away the soldier with him,  even though he was arrested by the police.

“The senior army officer had a lot of arguments with the police officers on duty. Later the  officer removed the soldier’s handcuff and took him to the army camp,” he asserted.

On the night of  30  July,  San Thein Aung was brutally killed near the checkpoint adjacent to  Taungup university, as he was returning home from a chicken farm. The victim used to own an egg firm in Taungup locality of Rakhine State along with agricultural lands.

On 2 August, a soldier from Taungup based  LIB 346 named Win Tun Lwin was arrested by the police as he was caught with the stolen cell phone. He was also made free by the army officers.

The junta authorities have not informed the family members of  San Thein Aung, what actions they have taken against the accused soldiers.

A young social activist from Taungup questioned, if a soldier commits a crime, should not he too be punished under the law ?  “They had brutally killed an honest person. If they committed the crime, they must be punished,” he added.