F AILED politician Long Bora, the man nicknamed the International Doctor of Law,

was sentenced to two years prison and fined $16,350 by the Phnom Penh Municipal

court for abusing and handcuffing a former client, Chakraval reported.

After getting his client, Hak Sokhom, released from jail, the court

heard evidence that Bora proceeded to handcuff her and slap her about. She

demanded $150,000 in damages.

However the controversial lawyer escaped

jail by hopping on a plane to Malaysia at Pochentong airport at 12 pm on May 13,

four hours before the court gave its verdict and the airport received an order

from the Interior Ministry to stop Bora leaving the country an anonymous airport

official told Chakraval.

Another official said Bora got on board without

booking a ticket.

Bora returned to Cambodia in 1992 and founded The

Cambodia Free Independent Democracy Political Party. It failed to win a seat in

the 1993 elections.

After the elections Bora set up a legal firm in

Phnom Penh claiming he had a French Certificate of Law and had practiced law for

14 years in Switzerland despite having little familiarity with the French

language.

Bora's firm now employs more than 10 people. Before hopping on

the plane he was heard to say to an employee, "Keep up the good work at the firm

as usual, I'll be back in two months."