Maung Tin Win and two others arrested for murder, rape, and disposal of a woman's body in Punnyazalun

Ayeyarwaddy Times July 27 Three suspects, including Maung Tin Win, who committed the murder, rape, and disposal of a woman's body near Tan Swel village in Punnyazalun Township, Rakhine State, were arrested and detained by the Arakan State People's Security and Rule of Law Department (Dilat Police Force) on the morning of July 24, it has been announced. According to the investigation, the suspect Maung Tin Win, who operates a meat selling business, had known the deceased woman since 2024. It is understood that he pre-planned to rape the woman and lured her away from near the Zeyyarmandun monastery on July 18, 2026, at 11:30 AM, using a social pretext, and took her away on a sidecar motorcycle. During this process, Maung Aye Kyaw (aka Maung Pu), 29, and Maung Than Soe (aka Nga Lone), 21, who reside at the Jan Kin Rescue Camp, also accompanied them on the sidecar motorcycle. Upon arriving at a thicket within the Thet Yet Taw farm compound near Tan Swel village, Maung Tin Win ordered Maung Aye Kyaw and Maung Than Soe to handcuff the woman and blindfold her with a cloth, using handcuffs that had been hidden beforehand. He then ordered the two men to wait by the roadside and leave, according to the testimonies. Subsequently, Maung Tin Win demanded sexual favors from the woman. When she refused, he struck her on the back of the neck with a nearby stone once, and then repeatedly struck her head, face, and back of the head, killing her. After the woman died, Maung Tin Win admitted in his confession that he raped her for about 10 minutes while she was on the stone, and then dragged her body into a waterhole to hide it from view. In relation to this incident, when the accomplices Maung Aye Kyaw and Maung Than Soe were interrogated, they testified in a manner consistent with Maung Tin Win's confession. The body of the deceased woman, aged 23, from Aung Seik village, was discovered by some villagers on July 22. The body was found face down, with the lower body exposed, the hair cut off, and the female genitalia and breasts mutilated with a knife. Currently, the relevant authorities are in the process of obtaining arrest warrants for the suspects, seizing evidence, and building a solid case for prosecution. It has been announced that prosecution will proceed as quickly as possible in accordance with legal advice. Photo: Dilat Police Force