Senior military officers from the Southwest Military Command, including Commander Major General Kyaw Soe Lwin, have been sentenced to death, life imprisonment, and lengthy prison terms for accepting bribes worth millions in permitting the transport of food and medical supplies to Rakhine State. The case involved allowing the passage of fuel, medicine, and other goods through the Yay Nan Thar checkpoint from Ayeyarwady Region to Rakhine State, where multiple high-ranking officers were found to have accepted substantial bribes.
The incident, which occurred on September 7, 2024, involved six officers including Commander Major General Kyaw Soe Lwin, Colonel Aung San Lwin, Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Swa Htun, and Lieutenant Colonel Myo Zaw Aung. After a 10-month military tribunal investigation, Lieutenant Colonel Kyaw Swa Htun was sentenced to death, while Commander Major General Kyaw Soe Lwin received 10 years imprisonment, Colonel Aung San Lwin 20 years, and Lieutenant Colonel Myo Zaw Aung life imprisonment.
Additionally, three police officers who received the largest bribes in connection with permitting goods transportation to Rakhine State – Deputy Police Colonel Chit San Maung, Deputy District Police Commander Myint Aung, and Township Commander Ye Yan Aung – received only rank demotions as punishment after allegedly bribing the Ministry of Home Affairs. Police Chief Tin Zaw Htun reportedly accepted hundreds of millions of kyats in relocation allowances to help reduce the punishment for these three police officers. Furthermore, Police Major Aung Naing Moe and Deputy Police Colonel Chit San Maung, who are related by marriage, have maintained their positions through extensive bribery in the fuel trade case.
Currently, the Yay Nan Thar checkpoint located in Nga Thaing Chaung Town on the Pathein-Monywa Highway and Gwa-Nga Thaing Chaung road in Ayeyarwady Region’s Yegyi Township is under complete military control, with all shipments to Rakhine State completely blocked by the military council. It has also been reported that Police Major Aung Naing Moe and Deputy Police Colonel Chit San Maung, along with other police officers, are involved in various illegal activities including narcotics trafficking, unlicensed vehicles, and gambling operations.
