Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Murder of Nine Family Members in Kampong Cham

The Kampong Cham Provincial Court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the murder of nine members of his family in a brutal attack that involved a decapitation and arson. In a statement issued on July 30, the court said it had found Soben Minea, born September 1, 2005, guilty of murder and premeditated murder. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment, the maximum possible sentence. According to the verdict, Minea cut the head off one family member before deliberately setting fire to a house, killing eight victims who were sleeping inside. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $20,000 in moral damages to the civil plaintiffs. It was unclear if he had the means to pay the required damages. The killings took place on November 23, 2025, in the Kien Khleang area of Tuol Sambuor village and commune, in Kampong Cham province’s Stueng Trang district. During the investigation, Minea confessed that he had harboured longstanding resentment towards his wife following repeated domestic disputes. He admitted killing his mother-in-law, wife, brother-in-law and several young relatives.