Former Cambodian Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday on embezzlement charges, initiated by members of the very royalist political party of which he was once the leader.

The sentence will represent a real obstacle for Ranariddh, a once-influential national figure and son of former King Norodom Sihanouk, should he wish to mount a political comeback. Ranariddh was co-prime minister of the country from 1993-97, with supporters claiming the charges were politically motivated.

The Funcinpec party, which removed Ranariddh from its presidency in October 2006, accused the prince of embezzling some US$3.6 million after the party's headquarters were sold in August that year.

Judge Sao Meach, of Phnom Penh Municipal Court, found the prince guilty of breach of trust and sentenced him to 18 months in prison.

Muong Arun, Ranariddh's lawyer, decried the verdict as unjust while the defendant's whereabouts remained unclear.

Funcinpec ousted Ranariddh as its leader on October 18, labeling him incompetent and deriding him for frequent absences from the country.

The ejection had been motivated by Ranariddh's longtime political rival, Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose coalition government arbors Funcinpec as its minority partner.

Since being thrown out, Ranariddh had formed his own political party named after himself, the Norodom Ranariddh Party.

However, the verdict against him would rule him out from running for public office in Cambodia before having served two-thirds of his jail term or receiving a royal pardon from his brother, King Norodom Sihamoni.

Speaking on Saturday, Hun Sen lashed out at a proposed pardon for the beleaguered prince.

"If you are a royal engaged in politics, you are also equal before the law and (liable) to be put in jail. Let's be clear about this," Hun Sen said.

Muth Chantha, Ranariddh's party spokesman, denounced the verdict as being "politically motivated to prevent the prince from taking part in future elections." He added that the prince would not appeal the verdict, since such an action would be legitimizing it.

(China Daily via agencies March 14, 2007)