|
|
|
|
TITLE: Peru Congress Indicts Fujimori |
AUTHOR: |
PUB: CNN |
DATE: February 23, 2001 |
|
LIMA, Peru -- The Peruvian Congress voted early Friday to indict former President Alberto Fujimori, charging him with abandonment of office and nonfullfillment of duties. Just past midnight local time, members of Congress voted 37-24, with four abstentions, in favor of the indictment. They also voted to suspend Fujimori from holding public office for 10 years. Fujimori fled to Japan in November following a corruption scandal involving his former spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. The 62-year-old remains in Japan and has said he plans to stay indefinitely. Under the Peruvian Constitution, the president must obtain permission from Congress to leave the country, and must return within a pre-determined period of time. Congress declared Fujimori unfit for office when he went to Japan. Now, the Peruvian attorney general must decide whether to file criminal charges against Fujimori. Peru and Japan have no extradition treaty. The son of Japanese immigrants, Fujimori is now recognized by Japan as one of its citizens and its government has shown no sign it plans to force him to return. Members of Fujimori's party said Friday's charges were part of a political vendetta. So far, authorities have been hard pressed to present any hard evidence directly linking Fujimori to acts of corruption. Fujimori has denied any illicit involvement with Montesinos during his 10 years in power. Prosecutors and congressional investigators are probing Fujimori for a myriad of accusations, including embezzlement in connection with missing money paid by the United Nations to rent a Peruvian helicopter. He also faces possible obstruction of justice charges for allegedly ordering an illegal police raid on Montesinos' apartment, seizing some 700 videos from Montesinos' personal collection. The videos are thought to contain secretly filmed footage compromising top Peruvian leaders. The Associated Press contributed to this report. END |