A 22-year-old police constable has been arrested in connection with the killing of a taxi driver on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway, according to police sources.

The body of a man was found beside a cart road about 235 feet east of the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway near milepost 279/1, close to Kangyigone Village in Meiktila Township, at around 6 pm on September 6. Meiktila Myoma Police Station opened a case under Section 302 of the Penal Code and launched an investigation.

The deceased was identified as U Win Ko, 34, who operated a taxi business in Nay Pyi Taw. His father is reportedly a police officer holding the rank of police major with the Transnational Crime Department.

According to the investigation, Win Ko had travelled from Nay Pyi Taw to Meiktila after receiving a taxi booking. When his family could no longer contact him, they alerted police, prompting an investigation into his whereabouts.

A suspect was arrested in Nay Pyi Taw at around 12:30 am on September 7. He was identified as Police Constable Ye Yint Aung, 22, of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Police Force in Nay Pyi Taw.

Police said the suspect had reportedly hired Win Ko’s vehicle from Myoma Market in Nay Pyi Taw for K400,000 to travel to Meiktila to visit his girlfriend. During the journey, he allegedly shot the driver with a handgun he was carrying, abandoned the body beside the expressway and drove away in the vehicle.

The investigation into the case is continuing.