A court in military-ruled Myanmar has sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to three more years in prison.

Sources say the ousted leader was sentenced in the capital Naypyitaw on Wednesday. The court ruled that she accepted bribes from a businessman in exchange for preferential treatment.

The trial was held behind closed doors.

This was the latest in a series of convictions against Aung San Suu Kyi since she was detained following a military coup last year.

She now faces a total of 26 years in prison.

Experts say the military may be extending her prison term to eliminate her political influence ahead of a general election due next year.

A Japanese journalist was also handed a prison term in Myanmar on Wednesday. A court sentenced Kubota Toru to three years. Security authorities detained him in Yangon in July.

They said Kubota entered the country on a tourist visa and filmed protests. The court ruled that he violated Myanmar's immigration law.

The latest verdict ends all of the court proceedings against Kubota. He has been given a 10-year jail term in total on three different charges.

The Japanese Embassy in Yangon says it will step up efforts to secure his release.