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Cambodia ex-police chief cleared Cambodia ex-police chief jailed
(about 9 hours later)
A court in Cambodia has cleared the former chief of Phnom Penh's police force of kidnapping charges. A former chief of police in Cambodia has been given a seven year jail sentence for detaining a woman for more than two months without charge.
Heng Pov is already serving an 18-year prison sentence for ordering the murder of a judge. It is one of a series of brutality charges facing the former head of Phnom Penh police, Heng Pov.
He was deported from Malaysia in 2006 to serve his sentence, which provoked outrage among human rights groups. Heng Pov was cleared of separate kidnapping charges on Wednesday.
Heng Pov was one of the most powerful figures of authority in Cambodia's capital. He still faces other charges, including the murder of a woman. He is already serving an 18-year jail sentence for ordering a judge's murder, and faces at least two more trials, for murder and attempted murder.
His rise seemed irresistible - he had even become an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The court in Phnom Penh was told the woman was arrested in 2005 for attempting to bribe court officials to free her brother, who was accused of robbery.
But on his way up he had also made some powerful enemies. And when the chance came, they pounced. She told the court she spent 70 days in detention. Under Cambodian law, a person can only be held for 72 hours without charge.
Asylum granted Heng Pov told the court he was not given orders to send the woman to court and was told by justice ministry officials the case was "out of his hands", the AFP news agency reports.
While he was out of the country last year, police raided Heng Pov's houses. The court also sentenced Ly Rasy, an ally of Heng Pov's, to six years in jail for the same charge.
Deportation
On Wednesday, the court dismissed claims that Heng Pov was involved in detaining and extorting money from a group of people accused of human trafficking.
But he is expected to face trial over the death of a woman who was tortured while in police custody, and also the attempted murder of a newspaper editor.
Heng Pov was once one of the most powerful figures of authority in Cambodia's capital, the BBC's Guy De Launey in Phnom Penh says.
His rise seemed irresistible and he even became an adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen. But he made some powerful enemies who pounced when the chance came, our correspondent adds.
While he was out of the country last year - after being sacked as police chief - police raided Heng Pov's houses.
They said they had found illegal guns and counterfeit money.They said they had found illegal guns and counterfeit money.
More serious charges soon followed, and Heng Pov was convicted in absentia of ordering the murder of a high court judge.More serious charges soon followed, and Heng Pov was convicted in absentia of ordering the murder of a high court judge.
Soon after, Malaysia controversially deported him to serve his sentence, even though Finland had granted him asylum.Soon after, Malaysia controversially deported him to serve his sentence, even though Finland had granted him asylum.
The kidnapping charges seemed likely to lengthen his time in jail. Heng Pov has alleged that he has been targeted because of his criticism of the government.
But the court dismissed claims that Heng Pov was involved in detaining and extorting money from a group of people accused of human trafficking.
It will not be his last court appearance of the week. The former police chief still faces murder charges relating to the death of a woman in custody.
He has alleged that he has been targeted because of his criticism of the government.