Two former senior junta officials given heavy sentences for corruption, high treason

By Admin 11 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
11 October 2023, Sittwe

A military tribunal has sentenced former Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun and former Brigadier-General Yan Naung Soe to 20 years in prison for high treason, corruption, and violation of the military code of conduct. The two were detained and became the subjects of a graft investigation last month.

The regime announced on Tuesday that the pair were each sentenced to a “life imprisonment equivalent” of 20 years behind bars.

Ex-Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun served as a member of the State Administration Council (SAC) and chaired the Myanmar Investment Commission, Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee and Central Committee for Ensuring Smooth Flow of Trade and Goods.

The regime accused him of seeking personal benefits in violation of its policies regarding foreign currency and essential commodities, and other economic policies. He failed to take action against the selling of dollars at rates higher than the reference rate set by the Central Bank of Myanmar regarding edible oil import licences and he also took bribes from companies, the regime said.

The former joint secretary of the Central Committee for Ensuring Smooth Flow of Trade and Goods, ex-Brigadier General Yan Naung Soe, was also charged with high treason and other offences.

The duo were detained and interrogated by the regime in early September after they allegedly took millions of dollars in bribes.

Yan Naung Soe was detained first, and in response to his account, Moe Myint Tun was arrested and interrogated. Moe Myint Tun was then removed from the SAC, and was replaced by General Mya Tun Oo on September 18.

Ex-Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun was ranked sixth in the Myanmar military hierarchy, and was widely considered to be a henchman of SAC chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Lieutenant-General Soe Htut was also removed from the SAC for abuse of power, but was subjected to the relatively minor punishment of transfer back to his original military duty in September.