Andina

Peru: Keiko Fujimori transferred to prison

ANDINA/Jhony Laurente

12:55 | Lima, Jan. 29.

Former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori was on Wednesday transferred by the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) to the women's annex prison in Lima's district of Chorrillos, where she will serve 15 months of preventive detention recently imposed by the Judiciary.

Fujimori —who overnighted at the Public Ministry's holding cell— returns to the same prison where she served 13 of the 36 months of preventive detention ordered by Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho in 2018 —a measure that was later annulled by the Constitutional Court.

This time, she will remain imprisoned thru April 27, 2021.

The van —which transported Fujimori to the penitentiary center— was escorted by Peruvian National Police agents. Outside the facility, supporters of Fuerza Popular political party were awaiting her arrival.

Before the transfer, Fujimori was visited by her attorney Giulliana Loza and former Congresswoman Milagros Salazar.


Judge Victor Zuñiga from the Fourth National Preparatory Investigation Court Specialized in Organized Crime and Corruption by Officials declared well founded the Public Ministry's petition that served to request 18 months and two days in prison for the former Congresswoman (2006-2011) and First Lady (1994-2000). In Peru, the Public Ministry is independent from the Executive Branch.

While explaining his decision, Judge Zuñiga stated that the preventive detention was appropriate, adequate, necessary, and proportionally strict.

After presenting his arguments, the magistrate found elements of conviction that configure "serious suspicion" to determine it is convenient that Fujimori serves preventive detention, so she will not obstruct justice while the Prosecutor's Office prepares the accusation against her.

On November 29, 2019, Fujimori Higuchi had regained her freedom after the Constitutional Court (TC) annulled the preventive detention she had been serving since November 2018 over alleged money laundering charges.

(END) MVB

Published: 1/29/2020