Mongolia's ex-president gets jail over corruption

Published November 20, 2014

Mongolia's former president was sentenced to four years in jail for corruption and the ill-gotten proceeds of his dealings were ordered confiscated, Chinese state media said Friday.

Xinhua News Agency said a court in the Mongolian capital, Ulan Bator, convicted Nambar Enkhkbayar on Thursday after a three-day trial and gave him a seven-year sentence with three years pardoned.

Enkhbayar accused state prosecutors of twisting facts and said the case was politically driven, Xinhua said.

"I'm not afraid of anyone. I will fight for justice and a new Mongolia," he was quoted as saying. His wife, Onon Tsolmon, blamed the current president and said she would fight "the injustice" by all means. The Xinhua report did not elaborate.

Enkhbayar was president from 2005 to 2009, before narrowly losing to Tsakhia Elbegdorj in the 2009 presidential election.

Enkhbayar was arrested in April by the country's anti-corruption authority.

Xinhua said he was charged with illegally privatizing a hotel and a publishing house and using equipment donated to a religious group to establish a television station.

The court ordered 25 million tugrik ($18,660) worth of property be seized from Enkhbayar as well as revenue from the TV station, Xinhua said.

The court also convicted four others — including former government officials and a businessman — of corruption and abuse of power, Xinhua said.

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