Peru’s Fujimori jailed

LIMA – A Supreme Court judge convicted Alberto Fujimori of abuse of authority and sentenced him to six years in prison on Tuesday, the first criminal conviction for Peru’s former president, who also faces human rights and corruption charges.

Justice Pedro Guillermo Urbina declared Fujimori guilty of abusing his power for ordering an illegal search as his government imploded in scandal seven years ago. He also fined Fujimori the equivalent of US$134 900.Fujimori was convicted of having a military aide pose as a prosecutor and search without a warrant the luxury apartment of the wife of his spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos in November 2000.It was the first prison sentence handed down for Fujimori, 69, who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, before fleeing to Japan, his ancestral homeland, as his government collapsed.He faces three other trials on charges that include murder, kidnapping and corruption.In contrast to Monday’s hearing, during which he shouted his innocence and waved his arms in outrage, Fujimori showed little emotion during Tuesday’s proceedings.After the sentence was read, he consulted quickly with his defence lawyer and then addressed the judge, saying he was appealing ‘partially’ the sentence and the fine.He did not elaborate.His daughter Keiko, a congresswoman for his party, attacked the ruling as she left the courtroom.”This is really an unfair sentence,” she said.”Before, it was a political persecution.Now it’s a judicial persecution.Like 90 per cent of the Peruvian people, I don’t trust the judicial system.”On Monday, Fujimori went on trial in a separate case on charges he authorised an army death squad to kill leftist rebels and collaborators.He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted for his alleged role in the killings, which came amid a government crackdown on a bloody Maoist insurgency.His voice cracking in emotion, Fujimori told the three-judge panel that he had inherited a country in a state of collapse, wracked by terrorism and hyperinflation.”My government rescued the human rights of 25 million Peruvians with no exceptions.If any detestable acts were committed, I condemn them, but they were not done on my orders.I reject the charges totally,” he shouted on Monday.Tuesday’s sentence for abuse of authority came after closed hearings before a single judge because it involved a minor charge.The trials are taking take place at the police base on the eastern outskirts of Lima where Fujimori is being held.The search of the apartment of Montesinos’ wife was conducted without a court order.Fujimori admitted ordering one of his military aides, an army officer, to pass himself off as a prosecutor during the search.All searches in Peru require a court order and the presence of a prosecutor.Nampa-APHe also fined Fujimori the equivalent of US$134 900.Fujimori was convicted of having a military aide pose as a prosecutor and search without a warrant the luxury apartment of the wife of his spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos in November 2000.It was the first prison sentence handed down for Fujimori, 69, who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, before fleeing to Japan, his ancestral homeland, as his government collapsed.He faces three other trials on charges that include murder, kidnapping and corruption.In contrast to Monday’s hearing, during which he shouted his innocence and waved his arms in outrage, Fujimori showed little emotion during Tuesday’s proceedings.After the sentence was read, he consulted quickly with his defence lawyer and then addressed the judge, saying he was appealing ‘partially’ the sentence and the fine.He did not elaborate.His daughter Keiko, a congresswoman for his party, attacked the ruling as she left the courtroom.”This is really an unfair sentence,” she said.”Before, it was a political persecution.Now it’s a judicial persecution.Like 90 per cent of the Peruvian people, I don’t trust the judicial system.”On Monday, Fujimori went on trial in a separate case on charges he authorised an army death squad to kill leftist rebels and collaborators.He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted for his alleged role in the killings, which came amid a government crackdown on a bloody Maoist insurgency.His voice cracking in emotion, Fujimori told the three-judge panel that he had inherited a country in a state of collapse, wracked by terrorism and hyperinflation.”My government rescued the human rights of 25 million Peruvians with no exceptions.If any detestable acts were committed, I condemn them, but they were not done on my orders.I reject the charges totally,” he shouted on Monday.Tuesday’s sentence for abuse of authority came after closed hearings before a single judge because it involved a minor charge.The trials are taking take place at the police base on the eastern outskirts of Lima where Fujimori is being held.The search of the apartment of Montesinos’ wife was conducted without a court order.Fujimori admitted ordering one of his military aides, an army officer, to pass himself off as a prosecutor during the search.All searches in Peru require a court order and the presence of a prosecutor.Nampa-AP