A former Cambodian police chief who fled murder charges here was today deported home, Malaysian and Cambodian officials said, where he is due to serve an 18-year prison sentence.

Heng Pov, 49, arrived in Phnom Penh from Kuala Lumpur, where he had been fighting a court battle since early October to avoid deportation to Cambodia, where he says he fears he will be tortured and killed because he criticised the government.

He appeared to have emerged victorious when Malaysia's High Court last week ruled he be returned to Singapore, his last port of embarkation, from where he planned to travel to Finland, which has offered him refuge.

However, Malaysian officials said Heng Pov, the former head of Phnom Penh's police force, had been sent back to Cambodia after an appeals court ruled against him today.

"He has left Malaysia and has already arrived in Phnom Penh," said the Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry secretary-general Aseh Che Mat.

He will not be tortured

Heng Pov arrived at Phnom Penh's military air base at 1:15pm, and was taken to Phnom Penh Municipal Court, where more than 100 anti-riot police armed with rifles and tear gas stood guard.

He was then transferred to prison, but officials declined to disclose the proceedings at the court.

"Heng Pov was deported as a result of the Malaysian appeal court's ruling," Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak told AFP .

"Heng Pov has been put in Prey Sar prison... He will be protected well. We are executing our law. He will not be tortured at all," he added.

Heng Pov was convicted and sentenced in absentia by a Cambodian court on Sept 18 for conspiracy in connection with the killing of a judge in Phnom Penh.

The ex-police chief was detained in Malaysia in early October on immigration offences.

Finland offered asylum

After the High Court ruled in his favour, Heng Pov prepared to travel to Singapore and on to Finland, but the Malaysian government intervened this week, arguing the immigration department should decide on his fate.

The Court of Appeal upheld the government's arguments today, apparently paving the way for his immediate deportation.

"They allowed our appeal and set aside the order of the High Court judge," said a high-ranking court official who asked not to be named.

Heng Pov's lawyers labelled his deportation an "outrage", saying they were stunned by the speed at which it occurred.

Lawyer N Sivananthan said waiting Cambodian police had bundled Heng Pov into a car and driven him directly to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and onto a private plane as soon as the Court of Appeal made its decision.

"Something smells bad... From the court he was handed over (to) the Cambodian police personnel and driven in a car by their own personnel and put on a plane, and within one hour the plane took off," Sivananthan told AFP .

"This goes against all procedural requirements in the country," he said.

Distraught wife

He said Heng Pov's distraught wife, Ngin Fotheavy, had lodged a complaint with Malaysian police against the government's prosecutor and immigration enforcement head over the deportation.

"She is in a very bad state, she is in disbelief," said Sivananthan, adding Ngin Fotheavy would travel to Cambodia in the next few days.

Finland offered Heng Pov a visa earlier this month, citing human rights concerns in a move that drew fire from Cambodia.