Ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 3 more years in prison after she was found guilty of accepting bribes from a local businessman.
The 77-year-old Nobel peace laureate was convicted of two corruption charges by a military-controlled court in Naypyidaw on Wednesday.
The court ruled that Suu Kyi received $550,000 in kickbacks from construction tycoon Maung Waik.
The latest sentence takes Suu Kyi’s total jail term to 26 years, she’s still awaiting verdicts in five further corruption charges related to the purchase of a helicopter.
The former leader was already facing 23 years in prison for several criminal charges ranging from the illegal importation and possession of walkie-talkies to breaking Covid-19 restrictions.
In August, the court convicted Suu Kyi and former aides, including Australian economist Sean Turnell, of violating the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.
The two corruption charges were filed after state broadcaster MRTV showed a video clip last year in which Maung Waik claimed to have given cash payments to Suu Kyi, in four instalments between 2018 and 2020.
Suu Kyi has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty, her legal team is planning to appeal the verdict, the person said. Major General Zaw Min Tun, lead spokesman for the ruling State Administration Council is yet to respond to comments.
Amid international sanctions following the military coup in 2021, the Southeast Asian nation has been battling rising inflation and declining foreign-currency reserves. Over 2,300 civilians have been killed, and 15,800 others arrested, in the military crackdown on pro-democracy movements since the coup.