The National Superior Criminal Court’s Third Liquidating Criminal Chamber on Friday sentenced former presidential adviser Vladimiro Montesinos to 20 years in prison for the aggravated homicide of journalist Melissa Alfaro Mendez and another victim.
Montesinos was present when the sentence was read.
During the sentencing hearing, the collegiate panel rejected a statute of limitations request filed by the defense of former presidential adviser to ex-President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000).
Likewise, the court convicted Montesinos of aggravated homicide (Article 108, subsection 4, of the Criminal Code) to the detriment of Ruth Melissa Alfaro Mendez and Victor Hugo Ruiz Leon, and of attempted aggravated homicide against Alejandro Augusto Zuñiga Paz, Ricardo Alexis Colmenares, and Carlos Eduardo Arroyo Reyes.
In the same ruling, the court acquitted Victor Peñas Sandoval as the material perpetrator, a decision that was challenged by the Public Ministry (Prosecutor's Office) and the civil party through a nullity appeal.
As for civil reparations, the ruling orders Montesinos, jointly with Peru's Ministry of Defense as a third civilly liable party, to assume joint payment of the compensation:
-S/500,000 (US$144,760) for each aggravated homicide victim (Ruth Melissa Alfaro Mendez and Victor Hugo Ruiz Leon).
-S/200,000 (US$57,904) for Alejandro Augusto Zuñiga Paz (attempted homicide).
-S/50,000 (US$14,476) for Ricardo Alexis Colmenares and Carlos Eduardo Arroyo Reyes (attempted homicide).
The court also ordered comprehensive reparations in favor of the victims or their legal heirs, in accordance with the damage proven in the proceedings.
The session took place as part of judicial hearings scheduled by the superior chamber.
It was attended by a representative of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the request of said international body.
The case: Murder of journalist Melissa Alfaro
According to the prosecution, the "letter bombs" were part of government policy at the time to "combat terrorism, aimed at eliminating those considered defenders of terrorists’ human rights or individuals with terrorist links."
"Therefore, Montesinos Torres is charged with having, after being informed through his intelligence channels about the presence of individuals with alleged terrorist links (…), ordered that a letter bomb be sent against those citizens," the Public Ministry states in its indictment.
In this context, journalist Ruth Melissa Alfaro Mendez and Victor Hugo Ruiz Leon were killed as a result of the explosion of these devices on October 10 and June 21, 1991, respectively.
Zuñiga Paz was also the victim of an explosive device concealed in a manila envelope on March 15, 1991, leaving him injured in one arm.
Meanwhile, Ricardo Letts Colmenares received a "letter bomb" on October 16 of that year at his office in Congress.
According to the prosecution, Victor Peñas Sandoval, in his capacity as an Army officer, was one of the executors of the counterinsurgency strategy. He is alleged to have prepared the "letter bombs" and materialized the actions against the victims.
Alfaro Mendez and Arroyo Reyes worked for the weekly Cambio, which, according to the prosecution, the government at the time accused of being an unofficial spokesperson for the terrorist group MRTA.
Years later, the National Anti-Terrorism Chamber and the Supreme Court acquitted Cambio staff who had been prosecuted for advocacy of terrorism.