Riga - Two former officers of Latvia's Corruption Prevention and Combatting Bureau (KNAB) were handed jail sentences Monday after being found guilty of stealing thousands of dollars in various currencies from the very agency that is supposed to lead the fight against organised crime.

Janis Imsa, former specialist in the KNAB confidentiality maintenance department, was been sentenced to seven years in jail, confiscation of property and a fine of 1,800 lats (EUR 2,561).

He had pleaded guilty to embezzlement for taking cash seized during raids in various currencies which totalled nearly 190,000 dollars.

His former superior, Indra Veipa, was acquitted on embezzlement charges but found guilty of serious dereliction of duty. She was handed a five-year jail term and banned from holding public office for five years after her release.

At an earlier hearing, Imsa described how he stole the money from the agency while he was supposedly helping to root out corruption in the Baltic state.

He told the court he took the money because he "wanted a better life" and had intended to pay it back.

There were far-reaching consequences when allegations first surfaced that KNAB employees had been pocketing cash.

KNAB chief Aleksejs Loskutovs was dismissed in June 2008, having previously survived a government attempt to unseat him in 2007 that led to thousands of people protesting in his defence.

Since Loskutovs' departure, KNAB has been operating without a full-time director, a situation recently described as unacceptable by President Valdis Zatlers.

Two candidates are currently being considered for the post with the National Security Council set to choose its preferred candidate on February 4. (dpa)