Bangkok: A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Monday convicted the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on four more corruption counts and sentenced him to an additional six years in prison. A law officer gave this information. The hearing took place in-camera and Suu Kyi’s lawyers were barred from disclosing information about the proceedings.
The court on Monday decided on four additional cases related to it. Suu Kyi was accused of abusing her position to rent out public land below market value and build a house with donations for charitable purposes. He received a sentence of three years each in each of the four cases, but in three of these cases, the sentence would run concurrently. In this way, he will have to stay in jail for an additional six years.
Suu Kyi denies the charges against her and her lawyers can appeal the verdict. Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to 11 years in prison on sedition, corruption, and other charges after the military toppled her elected government and detained her in February 2021.
Analysts say the charges against Suu Kyi and her allies are an attempt to legitimize the military’s capture of power as well as prevent the military from participating in elections next year as promised.
Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party and other top members of her government have also been arrested and jailed, and officials have said they may disband the party before the next election.
