Lima, Apr 15 (V7N) – Former Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, who served as the country's First Lady, have both been sentenced to 15 years in prison for money laundering. The sentence was handed down by a court in Lima on Tuesday.

The court found Humala and Heredia guilty of accepting illicit funds from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to finance their election campaigns in 2006 and 2011. This conviction stems from an investigation into widespread corruption linked to the Odebrecht scandal, which has implicated various political figures across Latin America.

Despite the prosecution's request for harsher penalties – 20 years for Humala and 26.5 years for Heredia – the court settled on a 15-year sentence for both. The long-awaited verdict concluded a trial that had lasted more than three years.

Humala, 62, was present in court for the verdict, while Heredia participated remotely via video conference. Both defendants have consistently denied the charges and have maintained their innocence since the beginning of the legal proceedings.

This conviction marks a significant moment in Peru's ongoing battle against corruption, especially given the prominent roles both Humala and Heredia held in the country's political landscape.

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