Seoul (Agencies): A South Korean court on Friday awarded 15 years imprisonment to former president Lee Myung-bak for corruption.
The 76-year-old CEO-turned-president, Lee, was the fourth former head of state to be sent to prison.
Lee, who served from 2008 to 2013, was found guilty on charges including bribery and embezzlement and ordered to pay a fine of 13 billion won ($11.5 million) by the Seoul Central District Court.
During the televised trial, the Court ruled that Lee is the de facto owner of his brother’s company, DAS, which is at the centre of the corruption investigation.
“Bringing everything into consideration, heavy punishment for the accused is inevitable,” said a judge during the trial.
The former South Korean leader was indicted in April on 16 charges that included bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.
Lee was also found guilty of accepting nearly six billion won from Samsung Electronics in return for a presidential pardon for its chairman Lee Kun-hee, who was jailed for tax evasion.
