AMMAN (AFP) - A Jordanian court on Wednesday (April 27) sentenced a fugitive uncle of King Abdullah II to 18 years in prison in a corruption case, a judicial official said.

Walid al-Kurdi had already been jailed for more than 37 years in 2013 for "abuse of office", after he had fled to Britain.

Kurdi is the former chief executive officer of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Co, one of the world's largest suppliers.

He was tried in the latest case for abuse of power and corruption while he served with the company.

In addition to the new jail term, the court fined him 190 million dinars (S$370 million), the judicial official said on condition of anonymity.

His previous conviction related to "sales and shipping deals", a judicial official said at the time.

The court also froze his assets in 2013.

Kurdi is married to Princess Basma, sister of King Abdullah's father, the late King Hussein.

In April last year, former crown prince Hamzah, King Abdullah's half-brother, accused the country's rulers of corruption and ineptitude. He also said he had been put under house arrest.

At the same time, the authorities announced they had foiled a bid to destabilise the pro-Western kingdom and had arrested 18 suspects, though most were later released.

The royal court said that Hamzah had apologised over the events. Last month, he said he was renouncing his title of prince.