Myanmar’s military accuses Suu Kyi of taking $600,000 and gold

Myanmar’s military rulers have accused the ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of illegally accepting $600,000 (£430,000) and gold.

The allegation is the strongest yet levelled by the military since it overthrew Ms Suu Kyi and the country’s democratic leadership on 1 February.

No evidence was provided for the charge.

Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty has accused the military of going on a “killing spree”.

It said the military was using battlefield weapons on unarmed protesters and carrying out planned killings.

“These are not the actions of overwhelmed, individual officers making poor decisions,” said Amnesty’s Joanne Mariner. “These are unrepentant commanders already implicated in crimes against humanity, deploying their troops and murderous methods in the open.”

What is the latest from the protests?
At least seven more people were killed by security forces on Thursday, taking the total death toll to more than 60. Witnesses said some protesters had been shot in the head.

Six of those deaths took place in the central town of Myaing.

A further death took place in the city of Yangon’s North Dagon district, where 25-year-old Chit Min Thu died after being shot in the head.

“No-one will be in peace until this situation ends. They were so cruel with my son,” his mother Hnin Malar Aung .

What are the allegations against Suu Kyi?
Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun also accused President Win Myint and several cabinet ministers of corruption.

Ms Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a landslide victory in the polls last year, but the military now claims the election was fraudulent.

Independent international observers have disputed the military’s claim – saying no irregularities were observed.

Agencies