A Myanmar court has postponed the verdict in a corruption case filed against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The verdict in one of the multiple corruption cases against him was set for Monday. A spokesman for the country’s military government said. Su Chir could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted in the case. News AFP.
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The verdict in the ৬ 600,000 and 11.4kg gold bribery case against Suu Kyi was set for today. “There is no verdict today,” military government spokesman Zhao Min Tun told AFP. He did not elaborate on when the verdict would be announced.
Journalists were not allowed to attend the hearing in a special court in the military-built capital, Napido. Suu Kyi’s lawyer is also barred from speaking to the media about the case.
Six-year-old Suu Kyi has been detained at an undisclosed location. No one is allowed to meet him. He has denied all the allegations against him.
According to Reuters, Suu Kyi was ousted in a military coup in February last year. Since then, the Nobel laureate has been accused of inciting protests and corruption, as well as violating election and state secrecy laws. If convicted in these cases, his combined sentence could exceed 150 years.
So far, Aung San Suu Kyi has been convicted of two relatively minor offenses and sentenced to six years in prison. Other cases may take years to decide. Suu Kyi, who led the country against the dictatorship from the front, has no chance to return to politics.
According to a source close to the trial, Suu Kyi was charged with accepting a bribe of ৬ 600,000 and 11.4 kg of gold from former Yangon Chief Minister Fio Min Thein. Fio was once considered Suu Kyi’s successor.
Suu Kyi’s disciple testified in October that she had given him money and gold to gain support. His testimony was broadcast separately on national television by the army government. However, Suu Kyi dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous”.
The military government has imposed restrictions on information related to Suu Kyi’s trial. The international community has called the trial a farce. However, the military government claims that Suu Kyi is being tried in an independent court following appropriate rules.
Massive protests erupted in Myanmar after an army coup in February last year. More than 1,600 people have since been killed in military crackdowns, according to local observers. 10,000 people were arrested.
