May 13 (UPI) -- Peru's Public Ministry requested a prison sentence of five years, four months for leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez, in a move that also seeks to permanently bar the leader of the Juntos por el Perú party from serving as president of the organization.
Prosecutors accuse Sánchez, who has been charged, of making false statements in administrative proceedings and falsifying information related to campaign contributions, income and expenses between 2018 and 2020, according to Peruvian media reports.
A fiscal audit found that the party formally reported zero income during the 2018, 2019 and 2020 financial periods and election campaigns. However, investigators said the party collected nearly 280,000 soles, about $81,500, from membership dues and candidate contributions.
Prosecutors allege the funds were diverted to personal bank accounts managed by Sánchez, his brother, William, and close associates, according to the newspaper El Comercio.
The prosecution request comes at a critical moment in the presidential campaign. With 99.9% of ballots counted, Sánchez appeared to have secured a place in the runoff election with 12% of the vote, narrowly surpassing Rafael López Aliaga in the first round.
