Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, a former Mandalay Region chief minister who was ousted along with the rest of the leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in last year’s coup, was sentenced to 21 years in prison on five counts of corruption by a junta court at Mandalay’s Obo Prison on Friday.

He was given five years each for three corruption charges and three years each for two other corruption charges, according to a source close to the court.

“He [Zaw Myint Maung] said he was not guilty, and had plans to appeal,” said the source.

The regime accused the 70-year-old NLD vice chair, in his capacity as head of the Mandalay Region government, of taking kickbacks in exchange for business contracts, among other accusations that critics say are trumped up, politically motivated charges. The regime also alleged that Dr. Zaw Myint Maung unlawfully helped acquire land plots in Myingyan and Pyin Oo Lwin townships for the NLD to build its offices.

The regime opened corruption cases against him in July of last year.

Dr. Zaw Myint Maung was sentenced to four years in December, including two years for incitement under Article 505(b) of the Penal Code and two years for two charges under the Natural Disaster Management Law for breaches of Covid-19 regulations. He has since been sentenced to one more year in prison for electoral fraud.

He has been held in Mandalay’s Obo Prison since the February 2021 coup. He also faces one additional charge of electoral fraud.