Myanmar’s junta sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday to another six years in prison for corruption, a source with knowledge of the case said, taking the Nobel laureate’s total jail time to 26 years.
Suu Kyi, 77, has been detained since the generals toppled her government in a coup on February 1 of last year, 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.
In the latest case, the Nobel laureate was “sentenced to three years imprisonment each for two corruption cases” in which she had been accused of taking bribes from a businessman, the source said.
The terms will be served concurrently, the source added.
The businessman, Maung Weik, appeared in a video televised by a military broadcaster last year claiming he had given Suu Kyi $550,000 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.
Suu Kyi — who denies all charges against her — appeared in good health and will appeal, the source added.
She is currently on trial for five other corruption charges. Each carries a maximum 15 years in prison.
A spokesperson for Amnesty International on Wednesday slammed the trial as a sham that “cannot be taken seriously”.
“Myanmar’s military is heaping trumped-up charge after trumped-up charge on Aung San Suu Kyi as part of a broader campaign to lock up and silence any and all opponents,” they said.
A junta spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
( Source AFP)
