Andina

Peru court orders release of opposition leader Keiko Fujimori

01:00 | Lima, Oct. 18.

A court in Peru has ordered the immediate release of opposition leader Keiko Fujimori and five other detainees, who were arrested last week accused of receiving illicit funds from Brazilian firm Odebrecht.

The appeals court on Wednesday revoked the order passed by lower court judge Concepcion Carhuancho, who had approved the prosecutors' request to arrest Fujimori, leader of the opposition Fuerza Popular ("Popular Force") party, and 19 other people linked to a money-laundering probe.

Fujimori had been detained last week after prosecutors accused her party of accepting bribes from the Brazilian construction firm during her 2011 presidential campaign.

The daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, who was present at the court on Wednesday, was overcome with emotion after the judge announced the court's decision to release her.

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

Top executives from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht have admitted giving large amounts of money to Fujimori to support her presidential campaign in 2011 elections which she eventually lost to Ollanta Humala, although Fujimori has repeatedly denied the allegations.

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(END) EFE/RMB

Published: 10/18/2018