Malaysia deports fugitive Cambodian policeman

http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-12-21T165529Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-281079-1.xml&archived=False

Malaysia deports fugitive Cambodian policeman

Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:02 PM IST

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A fugitive Cambodian former police chief
sentenced to 18 years jail for murdering a judge was deported from
Malaysia on Thursday despite the promise of a Finnish visa on human
rights grounds.

The one-legged Heng Pov, who fled in July to Singapore and then
Malaysia after being sacked as Phnom Penh police chief, was handed over
to Cambodian officials in Kuala Lumpur before being taken home on a
special flight.

"The Malaysian courts decided to deport him back to Cambodia," deputy
national police Sok Phal said.

On his return to Phnom Penh's military airport, Heng Pov was whisked
away in a police convoy straight to court. More than 100 riot officers
equipped with tear gas and rifles sealed off the street outside the
building.

Earlier this month, Finland said it planned to give him visa because
human rights groups were concerned about his conviction in absentia for
the 2003 murder of judge Sok Sethamony.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong attacked the Finnish decision,
saying it had weakened international efforts to fight crime and accused
Helsinki of being taken in by Heng Pov's "fabricated claims".

In 2004, Helsinki granted asylum to Sok Yoeun, a Cambodian opposition
party member accused of trying to assassinate Prime Minister Hun Sen in
a rocket attack on his convoy six years previously.

Sok Yeoun fled to Thailand, where he spent almost five years in prison,
before being allowed to go to Finland.

Heng Pov's Malaysian lawyer had said his client faced torture or even
death if he were sent home.

.