The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday sentenced a Chinese national and three Cambodians accused of arranging Chinese marriages for three Cambodian women to four years in jail, with two suspended.

Judge Koa Vandy downgraded the charges from “unlawful removal for cross-border transfer” to “receipt of a person for the purpose of assisting the offenders”. He gave no reasons for the downgrade or sentence.

Chinese national, Cao Wuhua, 42, and three Cambodians, Ky Chheang Ang, 60, his wife Srey Hour, 57, and Im Hieb, 60, were arrested last September in a Phnom Penh guesthouse as they prepared to escort three victims to the airport for a flight to China. They stood trial on June 15. By then, two of the victims had withdrawn their complaints saying they had volunteered to go to China.

Ang claimed he was just a motodop while his wife, Hour, just bought them food. Hieb admitted to helping put the women in touch with Wuhua for money, but said she was also their friend.

Judge Vandy also ordered Wuhua be deported once he has served his prison term.