A junta court has sentenced Bago Region’s ousted chief minister, U Win Thein, to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labor for alleged corruption.

A statement in a junta-controlled newspaper on Friday said the National League for Democracy (NLD) chief minister, who was detained during the last year’s coup, was found guilty on all seven charges he faced.

The junta accused U Win Thein of misusing state funds, bribery and breaching financial procedures in managing regional development and preventing COVID-19 under the Anti-Corruption Law.

On Thursday, Bago Region High Court handed down 20 years in jail for all the cases, the newspaper reported.

Of the 14 state and regional chief ministers appointed by the NLD government, 13 were detained on Feb. 1, 2021, and are still in military custody, prison or under house arrest. The Chin State chief minister was reported to have fled across the border into India.

Almost all the chief ministers have been charged under Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law and face tough jail terms. Many of them also face other charges.

Yangon Region chief minister U Phyo Min Thein is the only one who has not been hit with any legal charges by the junta.

Karen State chief minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint was sentenced to 80 years in prison on corruption and incitement charges, which was halved on February 12.

Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, the detained Mandalay chief minister and NLD deputy chairman, was sentenced for allegedly breaching COVID-19 rules and incitement.

Source:
courtesy of THE IRRAWADDY

by THE IRRAWADDY

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