Myanmar Junta Court to Give Verdict in Suu Kyi Corruption Trial Wednesday

A Myanmar junta court will hand down a verdict in the corruption trial of Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, in a case that could see the Nobel laureate jailed for 15 years, reports AFP.

Suu Kyi, 76, has been detained since a military coup ousted her civilian government in February last year, ending the country's brief period of democracy.

She has since been hit with a raft of criminal charges, including violating the official secrets act, corruption and electoral fraud, and she faces more than 150 years in jail if convicted on all counts.

A verdict in the corruption trial, in which Suu Kyi is accused of accepting a bribe of $6,00,000 cash and gold bars, had been scheduled for Tuesday, said a source close to the case.

But the hearings were "adjourned" without a verdict, which is now scheduled for Wednesday, the source added.

Suu Kyi 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.

Journalists have been barred from attending the special court hearings in the military-built capital Naypyidaw and Suu Kyi's lawyers have been banned from speaking to the media.

Suu Kyi is facing a total of 10 corruption charges -- each with a possible 15-year jail term.

She is also on trial for breaching the official secrets act, where she is accused alongside detained Australian academic Sean Turnell.

More than 1,700 people have been killed and over 13,000 arrested in a crackdown on dissent since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.