Military Officer’s Wife Detained for Alleged Murder of Domestic Worker

By Thazin Hlaing 25 May 2018

YANGON — A domestic worker at the quarters of a military officer of the Inn Daing armored battalion in Yangon’s Hlegu Township died of intestinal injuries, according to a post-mortem examination.

Khin Thandar Oo, also known as Kayin Ma, 38, a mother of four children, died within an hour after she was sent back to her home in Oh Po village in Twante Township by the wife of the military officer on May 19, citing her ill health.

Dr. Ne Win Thwin of the Twante Township Health Department who conducted the post-mortem examination confirmed that the woman died of injuries to her intestines.

“She would not have died if surgery was done in time to patch up the wounds in her intestine. Because the wounds were not treated for three, four days, her body could not absorb food and got dehydrated. Her belly was swollen with intestinal fluid. What’s more, feces spread in her body and became toxic. That’s the cause of death,” Dr. Ne Win Thin told The Irrawaddy.

He also found bruises that he claimed were likely due to being hit with a blunt object on her head and belly, as well as cuts on other parts of her body.

The woman told her neighbors before she died that she had been tortured by her employer, said U Wunna Soe, administrator of the village tract where she was from.

“She asked her neighbors to bring me to her home immediately. I went to the police station and reported it. I saw that she was injured on her left eyebrow and had bruises on her back, chin, pelvis, chest and left leg,” U Wunna Soe told The Irrawaddy.

The victim was sent back by Theingi Su, 31, the wife of the military officer, saying that she was suffering from a swollen abdomen and hemorrhoids, said administrator U Aye Thaung of Oh Po village.

“She said before she died that she was accused of stealing a necklace and beaten,” he said.

Ka Luak Chaik police station in Twante Township confirmed that Theingi Su has been arrested for murder.

“Bail is not granted for murder. So, we have detained her at our police station. We cannot provide details as the investigation is still ongoing,” police lieutenant Myo Chit Swe told The Irrawaddy.

The victim was buried the day after she died, said U Wunna Soe.

The husband of Khin Thandar Oo died four years ago and the victim is survived by four children aged between 10 and 16.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.