Early Wednesday, a judge from the third court specializing in corruption of public officials ordered the preliminary imprisonment of former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, of his long-time secretary, Gloria Kisic, and his driver, José Luis Bernaola. The judge has also ordered a 48-hour raid of Kuczynski’s office, of Kisic’s home, and the law firm of Alonso, Hohagen y Asociados. The order was approved by the Court of Appeals of Organized Crime and Corruption of Public Officials.
The 10-day preliminary custody is, according to Judge Jorge Luis Chavez, based on “acts of money laundering” as a result of Kuczynski’s “intervention in alleged acts of corruption.” The allegations are linked to two projects developed by the Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht during the administration of Alejandro Toledo, who is charged with receiving bribes to assign the project to Odebrecht.
“This is ridiculous,” Kuczynski said, when he first heard of the preliminary detention order through a journalist from the Panorama TV program.
Kuczynski’s secretary is included in the allegations of money laundering because she holds a joint bank account with the former president, while the driver also received large amounts of money for maintenance of the Kuczynskii properties and staff over long periods of time while Kuczynski was not in the country.
Kuczynski resigned from the presidency in March 2018 when the Fujimori party Fuerza Popular led a second attempt to impeach him following allegations of a conflict of interest between 2006 and 2010, when he was serving in President Toledo’s cabinet at the same time that his consulting firm First Capital invoiced Odebrecht for financial consultancy work. Both his homes were raided by police the day after his resignation, and he was slapped with an order to not leave the country. Since then, Kuczynski has been cooperating with the investigations.
The former president’s lawyer, Nelson Miranda, is to appeal the “arbitrary” decision. “PPK has submitted to the Judiciary decisions. He never opposed the search and confiscation procedures.”
Kuczynski, 80, a former Wall Street banker, was president of Peru 2016-2018. Earlier he was Finance minister (2001-02 and 2004-05) and Premier (2006-2006) during Alejandro Toledo’s administration.
It is a tragedy to read this summary of inaccurate or “challenged” acts of a dedicated leader of Peru. I hope that the reports are untrue.