Sentencing of Peru's president sister-in-law

A Peruvian judge ordered President Pedro Castillo's sister-in-law to be held in prison for up to 2.5 years while she is investigated for criminal association and corruption for her participation in an alleged money laundering scheme involving the president and first lady.

After postponing his decision twice, judge Johnny Gómez said there was “a high probability of fleeing” for Yenifer Paredes, 26, and ordered her pretrial detention.

Paredes had been raised by Castillo and his spouse as their daughter after her mother died. It is the first time in Peru that a relative so close to a sitting president has been sent to prison.

Defence lawyers said they would appeal the decision and Castillo has denied all the accusations against him.

Paredes had turned herself in to the prosecutor’s office on Aug. 10, a day after police went to the presidential palace to arrest her but failed to find her there. She had been serving 18 days while being questioned at a police station.

The prosecutor’s office asked a judge last week to impose a 3-year preventative sentence.

Castillo was a rural teacher before he shocked Peru’s political elite by winning election as president campaigning on promises to improve education, health care and other services. But the political neophyte’s first year has seen near constant turmoil, with Cabinet members changing multiple times and Castillo staving off two impeachment attempts.