MYANMAR: DEATH FOR 13 OVER MURDER IN THANLYIN

July 9, 2012: In Myanmar, the Southern District Court sentenced 13 people to death over the murder of the owner of a restaurant in Aung Chan Tha Ward, Thanlyin township, on July 20 last year.
The judgement was made according to sections 302(1)(b)/34 and 302(1)(b) of the Penal Code and also included convictions for crimes that took place almost a week before Ko Yu Wai was killed.
The victim’s mother, 70-year-old Daw Yin Yin Shwe, was chatting to her son in front of Thukhawai Restaurant on Kyaikkaukphayar Road when seven men approached the pair in a vehicle and struck up a conversation.
The strangers demanded to know who had contacted the police about an hour earlier, at 2pm, complaining that a “gang of thugs” was hanging around in front of the shop.
Daw Yin Yin Shwe witnessed one of the men slap her son in the face before he was dragged inside the restaurant.
She immediately contacted Thanlyin police station and after entering the restaurant, found her son lying motionless behind the counter. He died of multiple stab wounds.
Daw Yin Yin Shwe filed a case with the police station, which was heard by the deputy district judge’s court and involved section 302/114 of the Penal Code.
Those sentenced to death include U Hla Moe, Ma Aye Aye Soe, U Nga Thet (alias Thet Linn Paing), U Bu Maung, U Kayin (alias Ko Ko Naing), U Kyagyi (alias Kyaw Naing Win), U Moe Sann, Ma Phyu Phyu Thin, U Yaza (alias Yaza Tun), U Ahyokethe (alias Than Moe Tun), U Pho Aye, U Soe Tint (alias Kalaphayar) and U Meigyi (alias Kyaw Tun).
Each of the convicted lives in Thaketa or Thanlyin townships.
U Hla Moe and Ma Aye Aye Soe were found guilty of conspiracy to remove Ko Yu Wai’s body from the scene of the murder.
Others were convicted of crimes that took place when they entered Ko Yu Wai’s restaurant six days before he was murdered, on July 14, 2011. The men threatened Ko Yu Wai with a knife and stole a bottle of liquor.
Ko Yu Wai had filed a case following the incident but as he was unable to testify in court, the charges were heard in conjunction with his murder trial. (Sources: mmtimes.com, 09/07/2012)