Family of victim seeks longer jail terms for murderers

Family of victim seeks longer jail terms for murderers

By Phyo Wai Kyaw and Hlaing Kyaw Soe   |   Sunday, 08 December 2013

A Mandalay court is expected to rule in the coming weeks whether to accept an application to consider additional charges against two men convicted in relation to the brutal murder of a young mother.

Ma Win Khin, the mother of a four-month-old child, was killed in her Pyigyitagun township home on January 15. Her body was later found with 13 stab wounds.

On October 4, Mandalay district court sentenced U Aung Ko Latt to eight years' imprisonment with hard labour for the murder of Ma Win Khin. A second man, U Zaw Myo Aung, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment with hard labour for abetting the offence.

Lawyer Daw Zin Mar Myint, acting on behalf of Ma Win Khin's family, submitted an application to Mandalay Region court on November 22 asking it to reconsider the sentences.

"We can know the result in the next two weeks," she said. "If the case is dismissed at the region level we can apply to the Union Supreme Court. The victim was killed with 13 stab wounds and we asked the region court to give them a heavier sentence after considering their offence."

She said that while seminal fluid had been found on some pieces of evidence the accused only faced charges related to the murder because of problems with the statements from plaintiffs.

"We can't ask to charge them for rape now [because the case has closed]. The plaintiffs didn't really understand the legal process," she said.

U Maung Ko, a neighbour of the victim who examined her body with police, said Ma Win Khin's hands had been placed above her head, her longyi was raised to her thigh on one leg and the buttons of her blouse had been undone. He had volunteered to give testimony in the murder trial but was never called by the prosecutor.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/12/09/family-of-victim-seeks-longer-jail-terms-for-murderers/