Cambodia former police boss gets 18 years for murder

PHNOM PENH, Sep 18 (Reuters) A former Cambodian police chief and adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen was sentenced in absentia to 18 years in jail today for his involvement in the 2003 assassination of a judge.

Police General Heng Pov, 49, who has fled Cambodia, was found guilty of premeditated murder along with five associates, who each received 16 years, trial judge Kim Ravy told a courtroom packed with burly security men.

''Their acts created social problems and cannot be tolerated,'' he said. ''It was a premeditated killing ordered by Heng Pov.'' He said there had been a dispute between Heng Pov and judge Sok Sethamony, who was shot dead as he drove to work in April 2003. Kim Ravy did not elaborate.

The one-legged Heng Pov, sacked as head of the Phnom Penh police last year and as a Hun Sen aide in June this year, fled to Singapore in July, officials said.

His current whereabouts are unknown. Some reports have suggested he applied to Australia for political asylum.

In July, police arrested eight men at two Phnom Penh addresses belonging to Heng Pov after they said they had found six rifles, three hand-guns and 300,000 dollars in cash.

Cambodia's corrupt and highly politicised justice system frequently tries people in absentia and hands down convictions without revealing details of evidence.

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