Mizzima News

Chiang Mai – Police investigators have been unable to continue with their investigation into the penta-murder case committed in Rangoon's posh colony over six months ago, though they are aware of the type of car used by suspects.

The police have questioned some owners of black Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus believed to have been used in the high profile crime. However, they did not dare to continue with their investigation as some of the owners of the vehicles are holding important positions in the regime.

Some owners of the Land Cruiser SUV's which costs about Kyat 300 million (about 272000 US$) at current market price are high ranking military officials.

In this daylight murder case, four members of a family and their housemaid totaling five people were shot dead on March 3 this year at their residence near the house of detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Gem merchant Charlie a.k.a. Sao Kyi Pha (60), his wife San San Myint (58), daughters Mya Sanda (36) and Hnin Pwint Aye (27) and housemaid Eh Paw (15) were shot in the head at their residence in No. 126, Green Bank, Kamayut Township. The killers took away at least Kyat 200 million.

The police interrogated several dozen people who had relations with the victims but has not yet achieved any breakthrough. A person died in police custody during interrogation but the police blacked out the news.

The black Land Cruiser SUV is believed to have been driven to the crime scene at least five times, according to a security agency said.

A police source said that though they had hoped to crack the case by announcing a reward on information leading to the arrests of the killers in a daily newspaper, there is pressure from the higher authorities not to continue the investigation.

No reason behind the pressure and obstacles were, however, mentioned.