Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct 12: A court in the military-run nation of Myanmar found Aung San Suu Kyi guilty of two additional counts of corruption on Wednesday, adding to her earlier convictions to give her a total sentence of 26 years in jail, which must be served consecutively.
On February 1, 2021, when the military overthrew her elected government, Suu Kyi (77) was imprisoned. She has refuted the accusations made against her in this case, in which she was charged with accepting a bribe of $550,000 from Maung Weik, a businessman convicted of trafficking illegal drugs.
The majority of the numerous accusations the military has levelled against the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner involve allegations of corruption. Suu Kyi is facing a total of 12 counts under the Anti-Corruption Act, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine.
Suu Kyi had previously received a 23-year prison term after being found guilty of sedition, electoral fraud, unlawfully importing and possessing walkie-talkies, breaking the country’s official secrets statute, violating coronavirus limitations, and five counts of corruption.
The accusations against her, according to her supporters and independent analysts, are politically motivated and an effort to discredit her and validate the military’s takeover of power while preventing her from participating in the next election, which the military has promised will take place in 2023.
