Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi charged with bribery as new trial begins
She has already been sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and another corruption charge.
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Naypyidaw, May 3: Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi went on trial in a new corruption case against her, alleging she took $ 550,000 in bribes from a construction magnate. She is charged with two counts under the country’s the Anti-Corruption Act - with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fine.
In this latest case, she is accused of receiving money in 2019 and 2020 from Maung Weik, a tycoon who previously was convicted of drug trafficking. State television under control of military government last year, showed a video in which Maung Weik claimed to have given cash payoffs to government ministers to help his businesses.
Overall, Suu Kyi has been charged with 12 counts of corruption. She was convicted last week on one corruption charge and given a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty of receiving $600,000 and seven gold bars from Phyo Min Thein, the former chief minister of Yangon, the country’s biggest city.
Suu Kyi has been detained since the army ousted her elected govt in February 2021 and has not been seen or allowed to speak in public since then. She is being tried in closed sessions and her lawyers cannot speak publicly on her behalf or about her trial because of a gag order placed on them.
She has already been sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and another corruption charge.
In this latest case, she is accused of receiving money in 2019 and 2020 from Maung Weik, a tycoon who previously was convicted of drug trafficking. State television under control of military government last year, showed a video in which Maung Weik claimed to have given cash payoffs to government ministers to help his businesses.
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Maung Weik in his statements in state media last year said he gave the money from 2018 to 2020. He said in his video that the money included $100,000 provided to Suu Kyi in 2018 for a charitable foundation named after her mother and also gave Suu Kyi $450,000 in payments from 2019 to 2020.
Overall, Suu Kyi has been charged with 12 counts of corruption. She was convicted last week on one corruption charge and given a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty of receiving $600,000 and seven gold bars from Phyo Min Thein, the former chief minister of Yangon, the country’s biggest city.