10 popular presidents and world leaders who were jailed after leaving office

• Several former presidents and leaders across the world have been jailed after leaving office for corruption, abuse of power and related crimes.

• Cases span multiple regions, including Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, showing a global pattern of accountability.

• The trend reflects increasing judicial willingness to prosecute powerful leaders once they lose office.

Across the world, a growing number of former heads of state have faced prosecution and imprisonment after leaving office, reflecting a shifting global trend toward accountability in public leadership.

Once shielded by political power, several ex-presidents and rulers have been convicted for crimes ranging from corruption to human rights violations and abuse of authority.

ALSO READ: Has Ghana acquired a new national airline? All you must know about Air Ghana’s Boeing 737-400 freighter

From Asia to Africa, Europe and Latin America, these cases highlight how judicial systems are increasingly willing to hold powerful leaders accountable once they step down.

The following are 10 notable presidents and leaders who were jailed after their time in office.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was convicted in absentia in 2008 of abuse of power and sentenced to two years in prison.

After fleeing the country in 2006 following a coup, he lived in self-exile for 15 years.

ALSO READ: 10 African countries with the best electricity supply: May 2026 rankings

In September 2025, Thailand's Supreme Court ordered him to serve one year in prison for earlier convictions on graft and abuse of power, ruling that his hospital stay did not count as time served.

Peru’s former President Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years in prison in April 2009 for human rights violations committed during his presidency (1990–2000).

He was found guilty of authorising killings and kidnappings by death squads during his campaign against leftist rebels.

ALSO READ: Here’s how much gold, cocoa and oil are trading for on the global market today

Fujimori had fled to Japan in 2000 but was extradited to Peru in 2007.

Taiwan’s former President Chen Shui-bian was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 2009 on corruption charges, including bribery and money laundering.

His sentence was later reduced to 20 years.

He had served as Taiwan’s president from 2000 to 2008 and was the island’s first leader from the Democratic Progressive Party.

ALSO READ: 5 police officers in Accra and Ashanti Region interdicted over viral bribery videos – See list

Although technically a military dictator rather than an elected president, Manuel Noriega ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989.

Captured by U.S. forces in 1989, he spent decades in American and French prisons before being extradited back to Panama in 2011, where he remained jailed until his death in 2017.

ALSO READ: Top 10 youngest billionaires in Africa: Forbes Africa 2026 rankings

Egypt’s longtime leader Hosni Mubarak (1981–2011) was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2012 for complicity in the killing of protesters during the Arab Spring.

His conviction was later overturned, and he was acquitted in 2017, though he remained in detention on other charges before being released.

South Korea’s first female president, Park Geun-hye (2013–2017), was sentenced in April 2018 to 24 years in prison for abuse of power and corruption.

She was convicted of colluding with her confidante Choi Soon-sil to pressure businesses into donating to Choi-controlled foundations.

ALSO READ: Top 10 countries that accept international students easily

Her sentence was later reduced, and she was pardoned in 2021.

Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (2008–2013) was sentenced in October 2020 to 17 years in prison for corruption and bribery.

His convictions included receiving bribes from Samsung and embezzling funds from a company he owned before his presidency.

South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma (2009–2018) was sentenced in June 2021 to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after refusing to appear before a commission investigating corruption during his presidency.

He served around two months before being released on medical parole, though legal battles continued.

ALSO READ: Top 10 countries that accept international students easily

Guatemala’s former President Otto Pérez Molina resigned in 2015 amid mass protests over a customs corruption scandal.

In 2022, he was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012) was sentenced to five years in prison on 25 September 2025 after being convicted of criminal conspiracy linked to Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign.

His sentencing represents an unprecedented moment in French history and underscores the growing global trend of holding former leaders accountable.

ALSO READ: 5 dangerous reasons why you should never keep your phone in your pocket

The cases of these leaders highlight common themes: corruption, abuse of power, and the weakening of informal immunity once enjoyed by heads of state.

While some nations have long traditions of prosecuting former leaders, others are increasingly showing willingness to hold ex-presidents accountable.