Cambodian court jails eight for illegal logging - Reuters

[Eugene]

Cambodian court jails eight for illegal logging
23 Nov 2006 08:24:26 GMT
Source: Reuters

PHNOM PENH, Nov 23 (Reuters) - A Cambodian court sentenced eight people,
including a former provincial governor, to up to 17 years in jail on Thursday
for taking bribes to allow a Vietnamese company to log in a national park.

"They turned a blind eye to the illegal logging companies after taking bribes,"
judge Ke Sakhan told the court.

He and environmentalists described the destruction of more than 5,000 hectares
(12,000 acres) of Virachey National Park in the northeastern province of
Rattanakiri as a "tremendous loss" that threatened species such as tigers,
leopard and elephants.

Former Rattanakiri governor Kham Khoeun, who was sentenced in absentia after
going into hiding, received 17 years while the others, military officers, police
chiefs and forest rangers, got between 13 and 15 years, the judge said.

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Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BKK292191.htm