Peru: Review of preventive detention request for Keiko Fujimori continues on fifth day

14:46 | Lima, Oct. 29.

Peru's First Preparatory Investigation Court Head Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho on Monday resumed the hearing to assess the prosecutor's 36-month preventive detention request for former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori over money laundering charges.

Likewise, the magistrate reviews the preventive detention requests for other 10 people —including former Ministers Jaime Yoshiyama and Augusto Bedoya, as well as Fuerza Popular party advisors Ana Herz and Pier Figari— who have been accused of the same crime.

The debate on the five arguments presented to evaluate the preventive detention request for Fuerza Popular party leader Keiko Fujimori, as well as for advisors Vicente Silva Checa and Pier Figari has already concluded.

Silva Checa is considered a close acquaintance of Vladimiro Montesinos and advisor "in the shadows" of Keiko Fujimori.

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

In 2000, secret videos —which he had recorded— were televised that showed him bribing an elected congressman to leave the opposition and join the Fujimorist side of Congress.

According to Perez, a criminal organization operates within Fuerza Popular political party in order to launder money from Brazil's corruption-tainted Odebrecht aimed at obtaining political power and thus return the favors.

About the case

On October 10, Judge Concepcion Carhuancho approved the prosecutors' request to arrest Fujimori and placed her under preliminary detention for 10 days.

The Judicial Branch also ordered detention for other 19 people, including Jaime Yoshiyama.

However, on October 17, the appeals court revoked the order passed by Judge Concepcion Carhuancho, thus releasing Fujimori.

Keiko Fujimori and Fuerza Popular are being investigated for allegedly laundering campaign contributions for the 2011 and 2016 presidential elections.

As is known, 43-year-old Fujimori is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who ruled the country between 1990 and 2000.

After having fled to Japan and traveling to Chile —from where he was extradited to Peru— the patriarch was sentenced for crimes against human rights and corruption committed during his term in office.

In 2017, he was pardoned by ex-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Earlier this month, the Judicial Branch accepted the plaintiffs' claim to annul the pardon.

(END) FHG/DTK/MVB

Publicado: 29/10/2018