Former Union Minister U Min Thu was interrogated as a defence witness in court over the cases in which U Win Myint and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were charged under the Anti-Corruption Law over helicopter rental, purchase and maintenance, according to a source related to the case.

U Win Myint and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continued appearing in the special court set up in Nay Pyi Taw Prison on December 13.

At the trial, U Min Thu, who served as Union Minister at the Union Government Office under the previous government, was questioned as a defence witness over Case Nos.46, 47, 48, 49 and 50 in which both were charged with corruption for causing a loss to the state funds as they abused their power in renting, buying and maintaining the helicopter without following the financial rules.

About five defence witnesses have been presented for the cases, and the remaining witnesses will be questioned at the next hearing.

The two were charged under the Anti-Corruption Law following the investigation that they abused their power in renting a helicopter and buying another in the period from 2019 to 2021 with the national disaster fund on the pretext of disaster prevention tasks under the National League for Democracy government and did not follow the financial regulations. They were accused that they granted permissions with the official letters. Such doings caused a loss to state funds and possessions.