Peru judge orders preventive detention of ex-President Garcia's Secretary

10:35 | Lima, May. 1.

The Second Preparatory Investigation Court for Corruption Offenses Committed by Public Officials ordered 36 months of preventive detention against ex-Secretary-General of the Presidency and former Minister Luis Nava Guibert over bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to him.

Likewise, Juan Sanchez Balbuena, the judge presiding over the court, ordered house arrest of former Petroperu Vice-President Miguel Atala, who made a voluntary confession and claimed he acted as a frontman for deceased ex-President Alan Garcia.

The Lava Jato Special Team investigates Nava over alleged asset laundering and aggravated collusion as part of a criminal organization.

He is accused of having received US$4.2 million from Odebrecht to guarantee the continuation of works (the South Interoceanic Highway Project —Stretches 3 and 4) and to access new projects such as the Lima Metro —Stretches 1 and 2— during the 2006-2011 term of Garcia.

The payments were made in cash —as stated by former Odebrecht representative in Peru Jorge Barata— and then through Banca Privada D'Andorra via an offshore account of Miguel Atala, to speed up the transfers.

The judge affirmed Barata's statements have been verified with records from Odebrecht's Division of Structured Operations, which state Chalan —the alias used by Luis Nava— was the real recipient of the bribes found in said account under the name of Atala.

It should be noted Peru's Judicial Branch on April 17 ordered preliminary detention of Nava and Atala, as well as seven other people —including Garcia— over alleged bribes for the awarding of Lima Metro Line 1 to the Brazilian company. On that day, the former Head of State shot himself after learning about the order.

(END) FHG/RMB

Published: 5/1/2019

Video más visto

Peru judge orders preventive detention of ex-President Garcia's Secretary

Most read