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Peru: Keiko Fujimori's preventive detention hearing suspended until Tuesday

11:28 | Lima, Dec. 29.

The Judiciary's Fourth National Preparatory Investigation Court on Saturday suspended again the hearing to review a new 36-month preventive detention request for Fuerza Popular (Popular Force) party leader Keiko Fujimori as part of the investigation into the Odebrecht case.

At the end of the session, in which Lava Jato Case Special Prosecution Group member Jose Domingo Perez made his first allegations, Judge Victor Zuñiga announced that the hearing will be held on December 31 at 9:00 AM and will run until 2:00 PM.

In his allegations, Perez affirmed that the sums of money received from entrepreneurs —for Keiko Fujimori's 2011 presidential campaign— have been confirmed by several testimonies.

In addition, it was alleged that the Fuerza Popular (Popular Force) party leader took part in the receiving of cash and that the amounts reported are not recorded in the accountability records, but were said to have been collected through cocktails and raffles.

In that sense, he noted that statements by cooperating witnesses inside the Brazilian company Odebrecht are uncovering a series of illicit acts "that otherwise —through the traditional investigation process — would have remained hidden."

On the other hand, Perez disclosed the statement by Javier Lopez de Romaña, one of the alleged contributors to Keiko Fujimori's campaign, in which he denied having given any money, noting he "was only asked to lend his name."

Moreover, the prosecutor informed that Constitutional Court (TC) magistrate Jose Luis Sardon is married to Sandra Lopez de Romaña, sister of the alleged contributor.

Regarding this statement, the TC member posted on Twitter: "I can't know everything my brothers-in-law do."

"In my family —as in many other Peruvian families— there are those who sympathize with and those who hate Fujimorismo (supporters of ex-President Alberto Fujimori). This does not affect my affection for them (...)," he said.

It must be noted that, at first, the Fourth National Preparatory Investigation Court suspended the hearing until Saturday, December 28.

The alleged crimes established by the prosecutor are illicit association, criminal organization, misrepresentation, procedural fraud, and false statement in administrative proceedings.

According to Prosecutor Perez, the alleged commission of crimes would result in a total sentence of 24 years and 10 months imprisonment of Fujimori.

On December 12, former Odebrecht representative in Peru Jorge Barata confirmed that he had delivered US$1 million to Keiko Fujimori's 2011 presidential campaign, according to Peruvian press reports from the Brazilian city of Curitiba.

On November 25, the Constitutional Court —including Sardon's vote— annulled the preventive detention she was serving and was released from prison four days later.

Preventive detention

As is known, Keiko Fujimori was ordered to serve preventive detention over alleged money laundering charges linked to the Brazilian company Odebrecht. Thus, she was accused of leading a criminal organization within the Fuerza Popular political party.

Back then, the Judicial Branch declared well-founded the request made by the Prosecutor's Office to imprison Fujimori because of the danger of obstruction of justice that implied keeping her free.

On October 31, 2018, Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho ordered her preventive detention for 36 months. However, last September, the Judicial Branch ruled in favor of reducing the preventive detention to 18 months.

She is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who ruled the Inca country between 1990 and 2000. He is currently in jail for crimes of corruption and against human rights committed during his time in office.

(END) JCC/RMB/MVB

Published: 12/27/2019

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Peru: Keiko Fujimori's preventive detention hearing suspended until Tuesday

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