Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to five years in prison for corruption

A military-ruled Myanmar court on Wednesday sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to five years in prison after convicting her in the first of 11 corruption cases against her, a source familiar with the process said.

The Nobel laureate, who led Myanmar for five years before being ousted in a coup in early 2021, has been charged with at least 18 offenses, all of which carry a maximum sentence of almost 190 years in prison if convicted.

The capital’s judge, Naypyitaw, handed down the verdict within moments of the court summons, the source said, adding that those who refused to be identified because the trial was being held behind closed doors, had limited information.

It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.

He has been held incommunicado since his arrest, where junta chief Min Aung Hlaing had previously said he could remain in custody after a previous conviction in December and January for a relatively minor crime, for which he had been sentenced to a total of six years.

A military government spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

The latest lawsuit alleges that Suu Kyi received 11.4 kg (402 oz) of gold and a total of $ 600,000 in cash from her accused, former Yangon city chief Fio Min Thein.

Mrs Suu Kyi called the allegations “irrational”.

‘It will not last’
Ne Fon Lat, a former official with Suu Kyi’s ousted ruling party, said any court’s decision was temporary because military rule would not last long.

“We do not recognize the rule, law, or judiciary of the terrorist junta … the people do not recognize them either,” said Ne Fon Lat, who is with a shadow national unity government (NUG) that has declared a popular uprising against military rule. .

“I don’t care how long they want to be sentenced, one year, two years, or whatever they want. It will not last. “

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup, and the international community has rejected the trial as a farce and demanded Suu Kyi’s release.

The junta has refused to allow his visit, in which a special Southeast Asian ambassador is trying to end the crisis.

The military says Suu Kyi’s trial is under way because she committed the crime and is being prosecuted by an independent judiciary. It has rejected international criticism for interfering in a sovereign state.

The U.S. and British embassies in Myanmar did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday’s ruling.

Since his arrest on the morning of the February 1 coup last year, Suu Kyi has been charged with multiple offenses ranging from violating electoral and state secrecy laws to incitement and corruption, allegations her supporters say prepared Trump to kill any opportunity. A political comeback. – Reuters