A man in Champassak province sexually assaulted and murdered a teenage girl near a fishing pond whilst under the influence of drugs, according to a recent police report.
They reported that they had apprehended a man identified as Mr Somchai, 27, from Phonthong district of the province, the prime suspect in the case.
Police alleged he committed the murder after raping the fourteen-year-old last week at a pond where he was fishing with his friend. Officials are currently investigating if his friend was involved.
The woman was raped and murdered while she was on her way home to her farm. Her father wondered where his daughter was after she did not appear in the afternoon.
Her father and the police went searching for her and found her shoes near the pond, where the incident took place.
Her dead body was discovered in the water, where the man threw her into the pond in an attempt to escape justice, they reported.
After the investigation, the police confirmed that the woman was sexually assaulted before being murdered. They reported that drugs and desire were the motives behind this incident.
Drug trafficking and use is still a major issue in Laos, which the police have failed to bring under control despite suppression efforts.
It is common knowledge that drug trafficking and use are among the most common cases at the Vientiane's People's Court.
A judge told Vientiane Times during a recent interview that drugs are linked to crimes such as bag stanching, robberies, theft and social violence.
Many people want quick and easy money, so drug dealing is one option, the judge observed.
“Economic pressure and poverty have contributed to the problem of drug dealing,” the judge said.
Large numbers of wrongdoers have been sentenced at the court and many of them have been to prison on more than one occasion.
