Andina

Peru: Keiko Fujimori transferred to prison for 36-month preventive detention

ANDINA/Vidal Tarqui

11:35 | Lima, Nov. 1.

Former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori on Thursday morning was transferred to prison, where she will serve a 36-month preventive detention as ordered by a judge the previous day.

Having overnighted at Lima-based Justice Palace's holding cell, Fujimori was taken to the Women's Prison in Chorrillos district.

As expected, she was transported under heavy security measures.

The former First Lady and ex-congresswoman will now wait for trial behind bars.

As is known, the Judicial Branch on Wednesday ordered the preventive detention of Fujimori over alleged money laundering charges.

The judge considered she posed a high risk of flight, plus this measure would prevent disruptions to the probe. 

Earlier, the magistrate affirmed there is serious suspicion that Fuerza Popular party leader Fujimori had allegedly participated in money laundering offenses, as the head of a criminal organization within the party.

According to him, this suspicion is based on the statements given by witnesses who indicated that there was a group within Fuerza 2011 —now Fuerza Popular— that made decisions outside the party's structure.

Furthermore, Keiko Fujimori, Pier Figari, Ana Herz, and Vicente Silva Checa —considered an advisor in the shadows due to his connections to Vladimiro Montesinos— were part of the organization's upper echelons.

Montesinos was the long-standing head of Peru's intelligence service (SIN) under former President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), Keiko's father.

In 2000, secret videos —which Montesinos had recorded— were televised that showed him bribing an elected lawmaker to leave the opposition and join the Fujimorist side of Congress. He has been in prison since 2001.

Additionally, Judge Concepcion Carhuancho confirmed there is a high degree of probability that corruption-tainted Odebrecht had paid US$1 million to Keiko Fujimori's 2011 campaign through fake donors and unjustified activities.

The magistrate pointed out the money came from the Division of Structured Operations —the Brazilian company's bribery department. Thus, the assets —intended for the campaign— were illegal and derived from unaccounted payments. 

Likewise, this affirmation is supported by former Odebrecht executives' statements given to the authorities through plea bargain deals.

(END) DTK/MVB

Publicado: 1/11/2018