Pedro Castillo: Judge dictates 36 months of preventive detention in case of corruption

Pedro Castillo requests that the IACHR mission visit him

Former President of Peru, Pedro Castillo

Castillo had denied that he was part of a criminal organization formed during his government.

The Peruvian Supreme Judge Juan Carlos Checkley decided to accept the request of the Prosecutor’s Office for 36 months of preventive detention for former President Pedro Castillo, who is already in prison for his failed self-coup, while he is investigated for corruption and after he denied “absolutely and categorically” that he is the author or is part of a criminal organization formed during his government.

(Keep reading: Peru: Why is President Boluarte being investigated by the prosecution?)

During a virtual hearing, Checkley said that the measure was “ideal” because it is not a common trial, but one that is highly dangerous” and explained that the former president, detained for 18 months in pretrial detention for the self-coup, has incurred obstruction of Justice through the intimidation of witnesses, which has even reached the Attorney General herself, Patricia Benavides.

The Public Ministry points to the former president as the leader of an alleged criminal organization that became entrenched in various sectors of the State when he came to power in July 2021.

(Also read: Pedro Castillo asks the IACHR for his freedom and reinstatement as president of Peru)

Castillo is already serving preventive detention for 18 months in the Barbadillo prison in Ate, for the alleged crime of rebellion and conspiracy after the coup that perpetrated on December 7, 2022.

(News in development. Expansion soon)