A defendant in a 4 billion kyats robbery denied the allegation and said that Myo Ko, the township officer-in charge of the Bago People's Defense Force, was the mastermind behind the robbery on the Irrawaddy Bank car.

"Two people from our group were arrested. It is impossible for these persons to commit such a crime. The military council mixed these two cases to defame me. The Bago PDF was not involved at all. The military council deliberately destroyed the image of PDF,” Myo Ko told Mizzima.

He added that the arrested members of the Bago People's Defense Forces have nothing to do with the bank robbery and they were arrested while checking guest list reports.

Two Toyota Hiace vehicles carrying 4 billion kyats (4,000 million kyats) from Irrawaddy Bank Branch 1 in Bago were stopped by seven people at Mile Post No. 25/5 on the old Yangon-Mandalay highway, Bulayinn Village tract, Bago Township on September 13. After five Bank employees’ mouths, eyes and hands were bound with tape, robbers fled by Hiject vehicle carrying money and telephones, according to a military council statement.

The bank employee was able to report the incident to the police within 15 minutes. The statement said four women and three men involved in the robbery, were captured with arms and bullets.

It is said the seven detainees had an M-79 grenade launcher, two AK-47 rifles, four cartridges and 220 bullets, six MK-12 pistols.

Two people involved in the case are said to be on the run.