Myanmar's disempowered State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi is charged with corruption in addition to existing allegations.
According to the investigations of the anti-corruption commission, she illegally accepted the equivalent of almost half a million euros and several kilograms of gold, as the state newspaper "Global New Light of Myanmar" reported on Thursday.
In addition, she had abused her office to obtain discounted rental prices for land for the foundation, which she headed.
Till Fähnders
Political Correspondent for Southeast Asia.
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"As a result, she was found guilty of committing corruption using her rank," the article read.
She was therefore charged under Section 55 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
This provides for prison sentences of up to 15 years as well as fines for incumbent politicians who are guilty of bribery.
Domestic and foreign observers believe, however, that the allegations against Suu Kyi are politically motivated.
In the trial of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has been held by the military since February 1, the first witnesses are to be heard next week.
She is accused of various offenses, including incitement, violations of corona precautionary measures and the disclosure of state secrets.
The allegation of corruption is not new. Two "witnesses" presented on television by the junta had already raised him in the past few weeks. In March, the building contractor Maung Weik testified that he had paid hundreds of millions of dollars to the politician and her foundation. A few days later, the former head of government of the Yangon region, Phyo Min Thein, reported that he had paid Suu Kyi money "whenever she needed it." It is feared that these “confessions” came under considerable pressure.
While the country continues to sink into chaos and violence, the fire brigade reported the crash of a military plane near Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, on Thursday. Twelve people were reported to have died, including several military personnel and two influential Buddhist monks on their way to a religious ceremony.
The accident was initially attributed to bad weather, which caused the plane to have problems on the way from the capital Naypyidaw to Pyin Oo Lwin. Apparently there were no signs of an attack. In Myanmar, several explosive devices have recently exploded, which were also targeted by representatives of the junta. The resistance movement rejects any responsibility for it. More and more of them are taking up arms to defend themselves against the violence of the military. According to a prisoners' aid organization, around 860 people have been killed by the military since the coup, and around 4,800 are in custody.