Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak was on Friday sentenced to 15 years in prison over multiple corruption charges including bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement, and tax evasion.

According to The Korea Herald report, Lee has also been fined 13 billion won ($11.5 million) and the forfeiture of 8.27 billion won by the Seoul Central District Court.

Prosecutors had demanded 20 years in jail, a 15 billion won fine and the forfeiture of 11.1 billion won against Lee, the report said.

“As a president who was given great authority from the people, he had the responsibility to use his power according to the Constitution and for the people,” the court was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“But from the trials we found that Lee had embezzled some 24.6 billion won via DAS over a long period of time. Considering that he was serving as a lawmaker and Seoul mayor during the period, his misconduct should be taken seriously,” the court added.

Lee was not present at the hearing claiming poor health conditions.

The 76-year-old former CEO-turned president served South Korea from 2008 to 2013.

Lee has been charged with accepting a total of some 11 billion won (USD 10.2 million) in bribes between late 2007 when he was elected president and 2012, according to prosecutor documents.

These allegations include claims that the Samsung Group bought a presidential pardon in 2009 for its chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion and given a suspended jail sentence.

Samsung allegedly paid six billion won (USD 5.6 million) in legal fees to a US law firm on Lee’s behalf.

The firm was representing DAS, an auto parts company which prosecutors claim Lee owns in his relatives’ names, which was involved in a costly court battle with a US businessman at the time.

Lee has repeatedly denied that he owned DAS, saying the auto parts company belongs to his brother.

The court confirmed that the former president received the kickback from Samsung. However, the court dismissed the prosecution’s charge that Lee violated the act on the management of presidential archives.

Lee has been detained since March 23 at the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center.

With this case, all four former South Korean presidents who are still alive have been charged or convicted for criminal offences.

(With agency inputs)