Peru's ex-president ordered detained in graft case: justice

Yahoo – AFP, April 10, 2019

Former Peruvian president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, 80, resigned in 2018 in a
scandal linked to the Odebrecht case (AFP Photo/Christian Miranda)

Lima (AFP) - A Peruvian court ordered the arrest on Wednesday of ex-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski at the request of prosecutors investigating the giant Odebrecht corruption scandal.

Judicial authorities said the 80-year-old former president -- who resigned last year amid the scandal -- would be held for a preliminary period of 10 days "for the alleged crime of money laundering in the Odebrecht case."

The Superior Court on organized crime also authorized prosecutors to conduct a 48-hour search of Kuczynski's home for documents related to the case.

Kuczynski became the first sitting president to resign over the sweeping graft scandal involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht when he stepped down in March 2018.

The region-wide scandal has also embroiled Kuczynski's predecessors Ollanta Humala, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo.

Odebrecht has admitted paying at least $29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials since 2004.

Kuczynski is a former economist who prior to his election in 2016 served as prime minister under Toledo in 2005-06.