In Peru, a key witness in a high-profile corruption case involving the former mayor of the capital, Lima, has been found dead. José Miguel Castro, who was involved in the case alongside former mayor Susana Villarán and cooperated with the investigation, died in his home less than three months before the start of the court proceedings. The cause of death has not yet been established. This was reported by the BBC, according to UNN.
A key witness in the corruption case of Peru's former capital mayor, Lima, was found dead in his home
José Miguel Castro, who was under house arrest, was a municipal official during Susana Villarán's mayoral term from 2011 to 2014.
He was a co-defendant in the legal proceedings alongside Villarán. The 75-year-old Villarán is accused of conspiracy, money laundering, and establishing a criminal organization. The official is accused of receiving bribes totaling $10 million (£7.3 million) from Brazilian construction firms.
In 2019, Ms. Villarán admitted to receiving funds from these companies but denied that they were bribes. Castro cooperated with prosecutors in the investigation. The cause of his death is still unknown.
He was the second most important person after Ms. Villarán. We expected his valuable contribution" to the trial
The court proceedings are set to begin on September 23.
Supplement
In 2016, a Brazilian construction giant admitted to bribing officials across Latin America and parts of Africa to secure construction contracts.
Since then, a number of former Peruvian presidents have been investigated, including Ollanta Humala, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this year, and Alejandro Toledo, who was sentenced to over 20 years in prison last year.
Another former leader, Alan García, committed suicide when police arrived at his home to arrest him in 2019.
An investigation against another former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, is ongoing. He denies the charges.
Reminder
A court in Lima stated that Ollanta Humala accepted illicit funds from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to finance his election campaigns in 2006 and 2011. His wife, Nadine Heredia, who co-founded the Nationalist Party with Humala, was also found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years.
Prosecutors requested that Humala be sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Heredia to 26 and a half years. However, Heredia was granted asylum in Brazil and will be able to move there safely with her son.