Myanmar’s military government has filed an eleventh corruption charge against removed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the latest in a variety of indictments against the Nobel laureate who faces more than 150 years in prison.
The new case was announced on Thursday, as the military reportedly launched fresh attacks on the civilian population in the northwestern Sagaing region, with troops allegedly burning up to 400 houses, forcing thousands of residents to flee.
Police filed a further corruption charge against Aung San Suu Kyi for allegedly receiving $550,000 as a donation for a charity foundation named after her mother, the military’s information team said in a statement.
The statement gave no details on when court proceedings would begin.
Aung San Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since the February 1 coup last year that triggered mass protests and a bloody crackdown on dissent with more than 1,500 civilians killed, according to a local monitoring group.
She has already been sentenced to six years in jail for incitement against the military, breaching COVID-19 rules and breaking a telecommunications law – although she will remain under house arrest while she fights other charges.
Each corruption charge carries a possible 15-year jail term.
Aung San Suu Kyi is already on trial for breaching the official secrets act – where she is accused alongside detained Australian academic Sean Turnell – as well as several other corruption-related charges.
This week the military government announced she will face a further trial beginning mid-February on charges of influencing the country’s election commission during 2020 polls that saw her party defeat a military-aligned rival.
AL JAZEERA
