A Cambodian court has sentenced three former Khmer Rouge guerrillas to 20 years in jail over the 1996 kidnapping and murder of a British mine clearer and his translator

After nearly 12 years since the Khmer Rouge laid down their weapons and were forced out of power in Cambodia some of those responsible for the murder and killing of a British mine clearer and his translator have been brought to justice.

In Court yesterday Judge Iv Kim Sri announced 20 year sentences for three former Khmer Rouge Soliders as he read out the verdict in front of the accused at the Phnom Penh court.

In what became a regular occurance during the late 90’s in Cambodia Briton Christopher Howes and his translator Huon Huot and his mine clearing team were kidnapped by Khmer Rouge soldiers. Christopher Howes and Huon Huot were shot a few days after they and other members of their mine clearance team were seized near the famed Angkor Wat temples in northwest Cambodia.

Howes, 37, refused a chance to leave his kidnapped team of 20 mine clearers from the Britain-based Mines Advisory Group to retrieve a ransom. The rest of the mine clearing team were eventually released,

Their remains were found in 1998, the same year Cambodia’s civil war ended when the Khmer Rouge movement disintegrated.

The Khmer Rouge left Cambodia over 10 years ago and Cambodia is currently experiencing a time of peace and prosperity with foregin investors coming to the country and recognising its potential as a tourist destination.

The fulll story can be found at http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=646618