Family appeals ULA court ruling over Pauktaw village murder

By Admin 05 Jan 2026

DMG Newsroom

5 January 2026, Pauktaw

The family of a man killed in Gankyar Village, Pauktaw Township, Arakan State, has said it will continue to appeal a United League of Arakan (ULA) court decision, one year after the murder. The area is under the control of the Arakan Army.

Although three people were implicated in the case, only two were convicted. The village administrator, U Kyaw Than, was acquitted, leaving the victim's family dissatisfied.

"My brother died while being held captive in the village administrator's house due to their torture. It is unfair under the law that he was released, despite being the main culprit. I want all the perpetrators to be punished," said U Than Tun Hlaing, the brother of the deceased, U Thein Tun Hlaing.

U Thein Tun Hlaing was arrested at around 7 p.m. on 3 May 2024 by the village administration after an argument with his wife. He died in the village administrator's house following beatings and interrogation while in detention.

According to the victim's brother, at around 5 a.m. the following day, the village administrator and his team tried to load the body into a boat to dispose of it in the river.

"The villagers said they tried to throw my brother's body into the river to hide the evidence, but they were caught," U Than Tun Hlaing said.

The family filed a case with the ULA court on 5 May 2024 against the village administrator U Kyaw Than, and members U Than Tun Aung and U Tun Aye Ngwe.

After a year-long trial, the ULA court on 31 December 2025 sentenced U Than Tun Aung and U Tun Aye Ngwe to 10 years in prison for murder. U Kyaw Than, however, was acquitted.

A lawyer familiar with the ULA's legal department said, "From a legal perspective, the village administrator was only at his home when the incident occurred. It is necessary to carefully examine whether ordering the arrest and participating in the attempt to hide the body constituted aiding and abetting or a shared intent to commit a crime."

U Thein Tun Hlaing was originally from Myoungchaung Village, Minbya Township, and married in Gankyar Village, Pauktaw Township. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death and has since given birth to a child.

The family has said it will appeal to higher courts, as it does not accept the ULA court's ruling.