Local residents report that an armed Pyu Saw Htee member named Phoe Phyu shot and killed Ko Win Htun, a resident of Moe Say village in Letpadan Township, Bago Region. The incident occurred on July 30 at around 6:30 PM when Ko Win Htun’s horse ran loose and accidentally entered a neighboring compound near Phoe Phyu’s residence, colliding with a motorcycle. Ko Win Htun immediately apologized to the homeowner and resolved the situation amicably.
However, as Ko Win Htun was leaving the premises, Phoe Phyu intervened and initiated a confrontation about horse-keeping practices. Despite Ko Win Htun explaining that the matter had been settled with the homeowner, Phoe Phyu escalated the situation by asking if they were ‘looking for trouble.’ He then shot Ko Win Htun in the chest from approximately three arm’s lengths away, resulting in immediate death. Following the incident, the perpetrator Phoe Phyu sought refuge at the Kamun Seik police station, where he remains without facing any legal consequences.
Phoe Phyu is known to be a close associate of Htay Aung Shein, a notorious Pyu Saw Htee leader in Letpadan Township. Due to Htay Aung Shein’s influence, neither the police nor military have taken any action against Phoe Phyu. The deceased, Ko Win Htun, was a father of four children and his wife is currently pregnant. Local residents have expressed deep concern over the authorities’ failure to take legal action against this brutal killing of an innocent civilian, highlighting the impunity enjoyed by Pyu Saw Htee members in the area. The incident has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the local population, who feel unprotected by law enforcement agencies that appear unwilling or unable to act against armed groups aligned with the authorities.
