Peruvian prosecutors said a major witness in the corruption case in Lima, mayor of the Peruvian capital city, Lima, was found dead at his home, and Peruvian prosecutors said less than three months before the trial began.
José Miguel Castro lived under the arrest of the House of Representatives, and served as mayor of Susana Villarán from 2011 to 2014.
He was the co-defendant at Ms. Villan’s trial, accused of receiving a bribe worth $10 million (£7.3 million) from a Brazilian construction company.
In 2019, Ms. Veraen admitted to receiving funds from these companies, but denied that they were bribes. Mr. Castro is working with the prosecutor to investigate. The reason for his death is not yet known.
Prosecutor José Mosingo Pérez told Peruvian News Channel NN he was the second most important figure for Ms. Villan. ”
He added: “We expect his valuable contribution to the judgment”.
Ms. Veraen, 75, is accused of conspiring to launder money and forming a criminal organization that has obtained millions of dollars in criminal organizations from the construction company and OAS now known as Novonor.
Prosecutors said Mr. Castro was the second appointment of the so-called criminal organization.
In 2019, Ms. Veraen admitted to taking funds from Odebrecht and OAS to fund her 2013 Mayor’s Movement to stay, but denied that they constituted a bribe.
The trial will begin on September 23.
Ms. Veraen is one of many Peruvian politicians involved in the Odbrecht scandal.
In 2016, the Brazilian construction giant admitted to bribery officials in Latin America and parts of Africa to obtain a construction contract.
Since then, many former Peruvian presidents have been investigated, including Ollanta Humala, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this year and Alejandro Toledo, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year.
Another former leader, Alan Garcia, committed suicide when he arrived at his house in 2019 and arrested him.
An investigation into another former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, is ongoing. He denied the charges.
