Court set to rule in case against former Arakan State chief minister 

By DMG 05 Oct 2021

DMG Newsroom
5 October 2021, Sittwe 

A court in the Arakan State capital Sittwe is set to rule in a Penal Code Section 505(b) case against the former chief minister of the state, U Nyi Pu, who also faces charges under Myanmar’s Anti-Corruption Law, according to a lawyer representing the ex-chief minister. 

U Nyi Pu appeared via video link for a court hearing in Sittwe on Tuesday and his lawyer submitted a final appeal to the court. 

A verdict in the case is expected at the next court hearing on October 8, according to U Nyein Chan, the lawyer. 

U Nyi Pu was arrested along with other leaders of the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government when the military seized power in a coup on February 1. 

The Tatmadaw regime released him after two days and placed him under house arrest, but again took him away on February 10 after he criticised the coup on social media the day prior. 

U Nyi Pu was sued by Deputy Township Administrator U Kyaw Thein at the Sittwe Township Court on February 22 under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, an incitement provision. 

The former chief minister has not been allowed to meet with lawyers in person since his arrest, and he has not been permitted to see his family members either. 

U Nyi Pu faces up to two years in prison under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code. He also faces charges under the Anti-Corruption Law. 

In addition to U Nyi Pu, former economic minister U Kyaw Aye Thein; former Minister for Electricity and Transport U Aung Kyaw Zan; former Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Mining U Kyaw Lwin; and former Minister for Municipal Affairs U Min Aung have been charged under the Anti-Corruption Law since the coup.