The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday jailed two men who billed three Chinese businessmen $120,000 for fake citizenship documents and then pocketed another $30,000 sent by their relative to use as a bribe when the trio were arrested by immigration police at Phnom Penh International Airport.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Kor Vandy sentenced Chinese national Long Yunhai, 40, and Cambodian Leng Kimsour 43, an interpreter, to five years for fraud and faking public documents.

Jeffrey Vong, who represented the bilked businessmen, said the trio paid for real Cambodian identity cards, family history books and passports because the suspects said it would make doing business in the Kingdom easier.

They soon learned their money, which he admitted was intended to bribe relevant officials, had bought second-rate products when they were arrested by immigration police on May 15 at the airport.

The two suspects then coaxed more bribe money from the group’s relative Dy Jing but never paid for their release, the court heard.

That was done, Jeffery admitted, by the trio themselves, who forked out $10,000 each after three days in detention.

Yunhai’s sentence was suspended for four years, leaving him one to serve. He was ordered to repay the $120,000 to Jeffery.

Kimsour must serve 5 years and repay Dy Jing $30,000.