Peru's Ex-Spy Chief Montesinos Convicted

Posted on Thu, May. 29, 2003 Associated Press

LIMA, Peru - A Peruvian court sentenced fallen spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos to eight years in prison on embezzlement charges Thursday for giving a mayoral candidate $25,000 in public funds for a 1998 campaign.

Late Wednesday, Congress approved a charge of treason against exiled former President Alberto Fujimori, accusing him of authorizing the purchase of obsolete fighter planes in 1996, a year after Peru fought a border war with Ecuador.

A corruption scandal involving Montesinos triggered the November 2000 collapse of Fujimori's decade-long rule. Montesinos was captured in Venezuela in June 2001. Fujimori fled to Japan where he lives and is protected from extradition because he holds Japanese citizenship.

Peruvian prosecutors are piling up charges against Fujimori in hopes of persuading Tokyo to turn him over. The treason charge carries a 20-to-30 year sentence.

Prosecutors have already filed an array of charges against Fujimori, including the illegal wiretapping of journalists and political enemies, corruption, abandoning office and authorizing death squad killings. In March, Interpol placed Fujimori on its most wanted list.

The latest charge, which Congress approved 46-9, alleges that Fujimori put Peruvian soldiers' lives at risk by authorizing the purchase of outdated fighter jets from Belorussia.

By approving the charges, Congress lifted the immunity granted to Fujimori as a former president. It is now up to the Attorney General's office to file the charge and for courts to decide whether to open a trial.

Fujimori has denied any wrongdoing. He claims to be the target of political persecution and says the accusations lack proof and credible witnesses.

Montesinos conviction was the third for the one-feared spymaster, who faces some 70 trials.

The mayoral candidate, Luis Bedoya, received a five-year sentence, while former presidential aide Tomas Gonzales got three years for setting up the meeting between the two men.

The court fined the three a total of $571,500 and ordered Bedoya to return the illegal campaign contribution.

The offense was minor compared with other charges Montesinos faces that range from corruption to drug trafficking, arms dealing and directing a death squad.

Montesinos, 58, has already received a nine-year sentence in July for illegally taking control of Peru's intelligence agency. In March, he was sentenced to five years on influence peddling charges for helping to get his former mistress' brother out of jail.

With prison terms served concurrently in Peru, Thursday's sentence will not lead to more prison time.