Taninthayi Region High Court has started prosecuting four persons including former Chief Minister Dr Le Le Maw, arrested and charged for corruption.
Dr Le Le Maw and three officials from GGS Company appeared in court at 2.20 pm March 25 after the Anti-Corruption Commission had filed a lawsuit against them under the anti-corruption law.
Sizable force of police were deployed when the defendants were brought to the court in police cars.
After 10 minutes of questioning, they were sent back to Dawei prison.
"Dr Le Le Maw said they would hire lawyers. The court has made appointment with a plaintiff for questioning. Now the case is in a stage of prosecution involving four counts of corruption. The court has accepted the case because we have complete documents," said Daw Aye Aye Than, head of the Region High Court.
When arriving at the court, all the defendants except Dr Le Le Maw were found handcuffed. The next trial is on April 4.
In the first case, Dr Le Le Maw had his own two plots fenced and ditched dug after allotting K1.5 billion from the 2018-2019 mini budget to the Road Department for 11 projects. In the second case she granted a direct permit to F-22 Sunny Construction Co Ltd to clear weeds in Dawei airport area at a cost of K400 million without seeking approval from a cabinet meeting and inviting any tender.
In the third case, she failed to supervise GGS Company in following and implementing the provisions of a sale contract on distribution of electricity. The company failed to pay over K8 billion in state revenue which had to be paid by the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
As state funds were lost, Dr Le Le Maw and Thein Htwe and director Aung Myat from the company are charged on third count of corruption.
In the fourth case, former chief minister Dr Le Le Maw granted permission to GGS Company to build Thayatchaung fish auction market, distribute electricity in Dawei District and build Pulaw town hall.
Such permission came after she sold her home and land by Myeik-Dawei road in Myoma Ward, Thayetchaung Township, for K200 million although the property is worth just over K32 million.
