Myanmar junta hits Suu Kyi with new corruption charges
The anti-corruption commission in military-ruled Myanmar has found that ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi accepted bribes and misused her authority to gain advantageous terms in real estate deals, government-controlled media reported on Thursday.
Suu Kyi’s lawyers already denied the allegations when they were first raised three months ago by the military regime that toppled her elected government in a February coup. The commission’s findings come as prosecutors are set to present their case on separate charges against Suu Kyi in court on Monday.
Suu Kyi’s supporters say all of the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to discredit her and legitimise the military’s seizure of power. If convicted of any of the offences, Suu Kyi could be banned from running in the next election, should there be one.
12 killed in plane crash
A military plane crashed on Thursday near Mandalay, killing 12 people, the city’s fire service said in a post on social media. It was flying from the capital Naypyidaw to the town of Pyin Oo Lwin and was coming in to land when it crashed about 300m from a steel plant, the military-owned Myawaddy television station reported.