Two men sentenced to death for rape, murder of pregnant woman in Naypyitaw

Two men found guilty of brutally raping and murdering a pregnant woman in Naypyitaw’s Ottarathiri Township last year have been sentenced to death and a total of 70 years behind bars. The decision, by a district court in Naypyitaw, is based on multiple charges, including rape, murder, robbery, and causing the death of the victim’s unborn child. On the afternoon of August 30, 2025, 23-year-old Ei Ei Nyein was attacked while travelling alone by motorcycle to visit her in-laws. Her body was discovered hours later in a secluded area of bushes along the V4 bypass road in Ottarathiri Township. Investigations revealed she had been beaten to death with a wooden club after resisting her attackers. Her motorcycle and gold jewellery were stolen during the assault. The perpetrators, identified as 43-year-old Thein Zaw and 23-year-old Thaung Win Aung, were construction workers in nearby Zabuthiri Township. Three others—Aung Ko Oo, 27; Nan Shwe Zin, 41; and Aung Zaw, 44—were each sentenced to three and a half years for helping to conceal the stolen goods and failing to report the crime to authorities. One of the accomplices, Nan Shwe Zin, is currently being held in Naypyitaw Prison with her one-year-old child, as she has no one else to care for the infant while she serves her sentence. Thein Zaw, left, and Thaung Win Aung (Photo: Kyemon) Legal experts noted that the prison terms on the two main culprits, to be served consecutively, were likely aimed at keeping them behind bars for life, even if their death sentences are eventually commuted or successfully appealed. “It ensures they never return to society and remain punished for the duration of their lives,” said a high-court lawyer who spoke to Myanmar Now on condition of anonymity. The incident occurred in a township typically reserved for high-ranking military officials and retired generals, where security is theoretically airtight. However, residents pointed out that the stretch of road where the attack took place is notoriously desolate and lacks the military checkpoints common in other parts of the capital. The case has drawn comparisons to a 2024 triple homicide in the same township, fuelling local concerns over a spike in violent crime despite the regime’s heavy-handed presence.

Two men sentenced to death for rape, murder of pregnant woman in Naypyitaw

The killers were also handed lengthy prison sentences on other charges, including robbery and causing the death of the woman’s unborn child

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