Peru’s Keiko Fujimori Wins Release From Jail for a Second Time

(Bloomberg) -- A Peruvian appeals court ordered the release of opposition leader Keiko Fujimori, who was imprisoned in January as part of the Odebrecht graft probe.

The court revoked the preventive detention order against Fujimori and said she must remain in Lima while the investigation continues, according to a copy of the ruling posted on the judiciary's website. Her release is subject to the posting of a 70,000-sol ($21,000) bond within five working days.

It's the second time Fujimori, daughter of disgraced former President Alberto Fujimori, has been jailed and then released since becoming embroiled in the probe. She was previously freed from prison by Peru's top court in November after serving 13 months of preventive detention, only to be sent back to jail when prosecutors presented new evidence.

Fujimori's Popular Force party won a large parliamentary majority in the 2016 election, but her popularity waned as prosecutors accused her of taking campaign money from Brazilian builder Odebrecht SA, and disguising it as donations from individuals. She denies the allegations.

After frequent clashes with the legislature, President Martin Vizcarra dissolved Congress last year and in a January election, Fujimori's party finished fifth with just 8% of votes.

A separate court ruled Thursday to release former Lima mayor Susana Villaran from preventive detention, changing the order to house arrest. She is also accused of taking money from Odebrecht and has been held at the same Lima jail as Fujimori. According to the ruling, Villaran, 70, is at risk of infection from Covid-19.