Myanmar's military junta opens new corruption cases against Suu Kyi

Elected leader was overthrown in a coup in February

Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been hit with fresh corruption charges. AFP

Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other former officials from her government face new corruption charges, the state-run newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar said on Thursday.

The cases are the latest in a series brought against elected leader Ms Suu Kyi, who was overthrown by the army on February 1 in a coup that has plunged the South-East Asian country into chaos.

The state newspaper quoted the Anti-Corruption Commission as saying the accusations were related to the misuse of land for the charitable Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, which she chaired, as well as earlier accusations of accepting money and gold.

It said case files had been opened against Ms Suu Kyi and several other officials from the capital Naypyidaw at police stations on Wednesday.

"She was found guilty of committing corruption using her rank. So she was charged under Anti-Corruption Law section 55," the paper said. That law provides for up to 15 years in prison for those found guilty.

Cases Ms Suu Kyi already faced ranged from the illegal possession of walkie-talkie radios to breaking the Official Secrets Act. Her supporters say the cases are politically motivated.

The army overthrew Ms Suu Kyi saying her party had cheated in November elections, an accusation rejected by the previous election commission and international monitors.

Since then, the army has failed to establish control. It faces daily protests, strikes by opponents of the junta that have paralysed the economy , a rash of assassinations and bomb attacks and a resurgence of conflicts in Myanmar's borderlands.