Cambodia Spellbound By Slaying Of Actress

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - A powerful politician falls in love with a beautiful film star. His wife discovers their affair and becomes murderously jealous. A concerned police chief warns the mistress to end the relationship. She doesn't, and is gunned down by assassins.

The sensational tale of power, lust and murder has fascinated Cambodians for weeks, filling the front pages of newspapers with arguments over whether the story is true or an orchestrated lie aimed at unseating the leader of this Southeast Asian nation.

Some people claim the killing of actress Piseth Peaklica was the bloody end to a steamy affair with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Others in the highly politicized press call it a smear campaign by Hun Sen's enemies.

Adding to Cambodians' questions, the police force - widely perceived as corrupt and inept - initially offered a reward for information on the killing, but has shown no inclination to investigate the tips.

The 34-year-old actress was perhaps the most recognizable woman in Cambodia when two men confronted her in a Phnom Penh market on July 6, drew pistols and shot her three times.

Several newspapers reported at the time that the jealous wife of a high-ranking official had ordered the killing to end her husband's affair with Peaklica, but none named names. Her death looked certain to join the stacks of unsolved murder cases.

The French magazine L'Express then re-ignited public interest and emboldened the Cambodian press last month by putting Peaklica on its cover and alleging the prime minister's wife, Bun Rany, was behind the slaying.

The magazine interviewed Peaklica's family and cited a diary purportedly kept by the actress and a love poem allegedly written by Hun Sen.

Although not mentioning him by name, Hun Sen yesterday clearly accused political opponent Sam Rainsy as being behind the sensational allegations.