Sittwe district court on 11 September released two villagers who have been charged under the Explosive Substances Act 3 on suspicion of involvement in a bomb explosion near Min Phoo village in Rathedaung Township, the explosion killed a 19 year old girl named Yi Yi Soe.
The case of U Than Pe, 40, and U Wai Soe Tun, 35, has been dismissed after hearing the statement of the prosecution witnesses, said Daw Aye Nu Sein, lawyer of the two accused.
“They were detained for the death of Ma Yi Yi Soe. But, they are found not guilty after hearing the statement of the prosecution witnesses. That’s why they are released,” the lawyer said.
The pair have been released after being detained for eight months. They were arrested on 19 February. Inspector Aung Kyaw Soe Moe from Nyaung Chaung Border Guard police station filed the grievance.
U Maung Tun Hla, father of the deceased, said that his daughter was killed by gunfire by a Tatmadaw troop that arrived in the village following the bomb blast that occurred outside the village while a Tatmadaw troop was checking the family member lists inside the village on 19 February.
“The Tatmadaw shot my daughter. They surrounded our house from four sides and started to fire guns when they heard the bomb explosion,” U Maung Tun Hla said.
Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun from the Tatmadaw True News Information Team said that Yi Yi Soe died from fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army (AA). He added that AA set the bomb at the village bridge and fired the guns inside the village, and the Tatmadaw returned the AA’s gunfire.
“We were fighting there. The AA soldiers wore civilian clothing and ran into the village and shot back at us. We assumed that Yi Yi Soe was killed by the bullets fired by AA,” Brigadier- General Zaw Min Tun told DMG.
But the AA and villagers said that no fighting happened in Min Phoo village.
“The Myanmar military just tries to cover up their war atrocities,” Khaing Thukha, the AA spokesperson said.
During the ongoing fighting between the Tatmadaw and AA in northern Arakan State, civilians have been detained on suspicion of involvement in an offence. Some of them are now facing trial while some of them have been released.
