Myanmar’s military junta on Wednesday sentenced six more years of prison to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on charges of corruption, taking her total jail time to 26 years, reported news agency AFP. Suu Kyi, 77 was detained after her government was toppled last year on Februrary 1 in a coup, ending the Southeast Asian country’s brief period of democracy. She has since been convicted on a clutch of charges, including violating the official secrets act, electoral fraud and illegally possessing walkie-talkies, the report stated.
In the latest case, the ousted leader was “sentenced to three years of imprisonment each for two corruption cases” where she is accused of accpeting bribes from a businessman, reported the news agency citing its sources, adding that she will serve the terms concurrently.
#UPDATE A Myanmar court has sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to another six years in prison for corruption, a source with knowledge of the case said
It takes the Nobel laureate’s total jail time to 26 years pic.twitter.com/7cXkjgqxXJ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 12, 2022
In a televised video by country’s military broadcaster last year, the businessman Maun Weik claimed that he had given $550,000 to Suu Kyi over several years.
Maung Weik — who was convicted of drug trafficking in 2008 — also said he had donated money to senior figures in Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy government for the good of his business.
The Nobel laureate, who has denied the charges against her, appeared well and will appeal, stated the news agency citing sources. She is currently on trial for five other corruption charges. Each carries a maximum 15 years in prison.
There was no statement by any representative of junta.