The commander of the junta’s Northern Regional Military Command has been sentenced to ten years in prison, according to military sources who spoke to the People’s Goal nonprofit organisation (NPO).

Earlier this week a military tribunal sentenced General Ko Ko Maung, the commander of the Northern Regional Military Command in Myitkyina, Kachin State, to a ten-year prison term.

According to the People’s Goal, General Ko Ko Maung was investigated by the Naypyidaw Chief Inspection Office in July. The investigation focused on the general’s alleged involvement in transporting explosive devices to Hpakant Township, Kachin State, and other unlawful activities.

For the three months following the investigation, General Ko Ko Maung, his secretary, a captain and other senior officers of the Northern Military Command were sanctioned for allegedly engaging in unlawful activities.

Though the general’s secretary was implicated in much of the unlawful activity it was the general who was punished. According to People’s Goal analysis, it appears that the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing is blaming his subordinates for various crimes and prosecuting them so that he can deny being involved in any of the crimes.

General Ko Ko Maung is a graduate of the Defence Service Academy’s Batch 38 and he was the first graduate from that batch to achieve the rank of regional commander. It was well known that he had good connections with Min Aung Hlaing, according to the People’s Goal.

Previously, the Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Moe Myint Tun was stripped of his position on 19 September before later being sentenced to 20 years in prison for corruption, according to a junta statement made on 10 October.