Court in army-ruled Myanmar gives Suu Kyi colleague 21 years

By GRANT PECK
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — A legal official says a court in military-ruled Myanmar has sentenced a close colleague of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 21 years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption. Zaw Myint Maung is a second vice president and spokesperson of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 general election but was prevented from returning to office for a second five-year term when the army seized power in February last year. Suu Kyi was arrested and is being tried on multiple charges, including corruption, that her supporters say are meant to discredit her and legitimize the military’s seizure of power. The military government has also arrested many other leaders of her party.