Peru’s former president, Martín Vizcarra, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after a Peruvian court found him guilty of accepting huge bribes during his time as regional governor.
Vizcarra led Peru from 2018 to 2020 and built his image around fighting corruption.
He was convicted of receiving illicit payments from construction firms while serving as governor of the Moquegua region between 2011 and 2014.
Court Finds Vizcarra Collected $640,000 in Kickbacks
According to prosecutors, the former president pocketed roughly $640,000 in exchange for awarding favourable public contracts to selected construction companies.
The 62-year-old listened to the verdict without showing any emotion as the ruling was delivered in a Lima courtroom.
Prosecutors had originally pushed for a 15-year sentence.
Vizcarra now joins a growing list of Peruvian ex-presidents jailed for corruption-related offences.
Others currently held at a dedicated detention facility in Lima include Pedro Castillo, Ollanta Humala, and Alejandro Toledo.
Vizcarra Maintains His Innocence
Despite the conviction, Martín Vizcarra continues to insist he is innocent.
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Earlier this year, he was detained for 22 days over fears he might flee the country, but was later released on bail as his trial progressed.
