Ousted Myanmar leader faces new corruption charges that her lawyer slams as 'absurd'

New corruption cases have been openedagainst Myanmar's deposedelected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and otherformer officials from her government, the state-run Global NewLight of Myanmar said on Thursday.

The cases are the latest of a series brought against Suu Kyi, 75, who was overthrown by the army on Feb. 1 ina coup that has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos,with daily protests and strikes and unrestin far-flung regions that anti-junta militias said had claimedthe lives of 37 soldiers on Thursday.

The state newspaper quoted the Anti-Corruption Commission assaying the accusations related to the misuse of land for thecharitable Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, which she chaired, as wellas earlier accusations of accepting money and gold.

It said case files had been opened against Suu Kyi andseveral other officials from the capital Naypyidaw at police stationson Wednesday.

"She was found guilty of committing corruption using herrank. So she was charged under Anti-Corruption Law section 55,"the paper said. Those found guilty can face up to 15 years in prison.

WATCH |Canada, U.S., E.U. condemn Myanmar coup:

Myanmar military seizes power, detains Aung San Suu Kyi

4 years ago

Duration 12:28

Myanmar's military has seized power in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. United Nations ambassador Bob Rae says the country's 2008 constitution made such a military takeover possible.

Lawyer calls charges 'absurd'

The lead lawyer for Suu Kyi in several other cases said thatas far as he was aware, the corruption investigations werecontinuing and were not before any court. He described the accusations as "absurd."

"She might have defects but personal greed and corruptionare not her traits. Those who accuse her of greed and corruptionare spitting towards the sky," Khin Maung Zaw said in a message to Reuters.

The Daw Khin Kyi Foundationwas set up in the name of her late mother to help developeducation, health and welfare in Myanmar.

Cases Suu Kyi already faced ranged from the illegalpossession of walkie-talkie radios to breaking the OfficialSecrets Act. Her supporters say the cases are politicallymotivated.

The army overthrew Suu Kyiin January this year, saying her party had cheated inNovember elections, an accusation rejected by the previouselection commission and international monitors.

But the army has failed to establish control, with peacefuland violent resistance paralyzing the economy and guerrillaattacks on security forces in borderlands met by artillery andairstrikes, including in civilian areas.

Fighting has raged between the military and newly formedPeople's Defence Forces, one of which on Thursday said it hadkilled 17 government soldiers in a battle in Chin State,bordering India.

Another, the Chinland Defence Force, on its Facebook pagesaid its fighters had also killed 10 troops near Hakha andissued a demand to the junta to release all people detained inChin Stateor face a stronger backlash.

In the Sagaing region, militias ambushed five militaryvehicles, killing 10 soldiers, the Irrawaddy news site reported,citing residents.

Reuters is unable to independently verify the claims and amilitary spokesman did not respond to calls seeking comment.State-run MRTV made no mention of the incidents in its nightlynewscast.

Fighting in northeast and northwest of Myanmar has forcedmore than 100,000 people to flee, according to the UnitedNations, some to the Indian states of Mizoram, Manipur andNagaland, where authorities fear pro-democracy fighters may havejoined refugees.