Crime & Justice

Judge orders 30 months pre-trial detention for Castillo’s sister-in-law

Lima, Aug 28 (EFE).- A judge in Peru ordered 30 months of pre-trial detention for Yenifer Paredes, sister-in-law of President Pedro Castillo, on Sunday as she is investigated for the alleged crimes of money laundering and criminal organization.

Judge Johnny Gómez also ordered pre-trial detention for Anguía district mayor José Nenil Medina, who is accused of participating as a collaborator in the coordination to award infrastructure works in his district to a specific company in exchange for money.

Gómez said that Paredes, who was raised by Castillo and his wife as a daughter, had weak home, family and work roots so was a flight risk.

The magistrate cited evidence presented by the Prosecutor’s Office, including a delay in allowing the entry of the police and a prosecutor to search Government Palace for Paredes when a preliminary arrest warrant was issued.

He also said Paredes has at least 90,000 soles ($23,300) in bank deposits despite not having a job or a fixed income.

The crimes attributed to Paredes and Medina are punishable with between eight to 20 years in prison. The Prosecutor’s Office has requested 23 years in prison for the president’s sister-in-law.

During a visit to the city of Tacna on Sunday, Castillo said that for “more than a year and at this moment, they ask for, pay and manufacture effective collaborators, and when they have them inside they threaten them” to say that “Pedro Castillo is corrupt.”

“In the end, we will continue to submit to the country and, if you detect that we have stolen a penny, you have the prerogative to punish me,” he added.

Castillo is in the midst of a controversy after seeking to remove Col. Harvey Colchado, the police officer who led the raid on Government Palace to arrest Paredes. EFE

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