A COURT in junta-ruled Myanmar convicted the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption today, sentencing her to seven years in prison in the last of a string of criminal cases against her.

The court’s action leaves her with a total of 33 years to serve in prison after a series of politically tinged prosecutions since the army toppled her elected government in February 2021.

Friday’s case involved five offences under the anti-corruption law and followed earlier convictions on seven other corruption counts, each of which were punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.

The 77-year-old has also been convicted of several other offences, including illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, breaching the country’s official secrets act, sedition and election fraud.

Ms Suu Kyi’s supporters and independent analysts say the numerous charges against her and her allies are an attempt to legitimise the military’s seizure of power while eliminating her from politics before an election it has promised for 2023.

In the five counts of corruption decided on Friday, Ms Suu Kyi was alleged to have abused her position and caused a loss of state funds by neglecting to follow financial regulations in granting permission to Win Myat Aye, a cabinet member in her former government, to hire, buy and maintain a helicopter.

Mr Win Myint was a co-defendant in the same case and received the same sentences.

The defendants denied all charges, and Ms Suu Kyi’s lawyers are expected to appeal in the coming days.

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said: “From start to finish, the junta grabbed whatever it could to manufacture cases against her with full confidence that the country’s kangaroo courts would come back with whatever punitive judgements the military wanted.

“Due process and a free and fair trial were never remotely possible under the circumstances of this political persecution against her.”

Due to her age, the 33 years in prison “amount to an effective life sentence against her,” he said.

“The Myanmar junta’s farcical, totally unjust parade of charges and convictions against Aung San Suu Kyi amount to politically motivated punishment designed to hold her behind bars for the rest of her life,” Mr Robertson said.