Judge Jorge Chávez Tamariz, of the Seventh National Preparatory Investigation Court, removed the legal defense of the fugitive Vladimir Cerrón, Víctor Peralta Miranda, for alleged dilatory behavior, after he did not appear at a hearing to vary limiting measures by the Antalsis casewhich was scheduled for this October 31.
Cerrón’s representative had requested that the hearing be rescheduled, however, Judge Tamariz rejected the request, maintaining that the summons was communicated well in advance, on October 25. For this reason, the magistrate determined that said act can be interpreted as a delaying tactic in the case.
“The rescheduling is requested at the last minute. It is an action that has evidently sought to frustrate this hearing, but it does not have the effects expected by the lawyer because the law protects me to continue the hearing with a public defense,” said the judge.
In this sense, he announced that, in order to continue the process, he appointed the Public Defense lawyer, Margot Cusihuamán Tineo, and expelled the lawyer of the Peru Libre leader from the case.
“As this is a hearing that cannot be postponed, a public defense was summoned to guarantee the continuity of this hearing. The freedom of a person is being discussed. It is something very serious. I expel the lawyer from the processing of this case with an official letter to the College of Lawyers to take the appropriate actions against this type of conduct,” he said.
“I resolve to declare the request for rescheduling unfounded for the reasons that I have presented, to exclude it from the processing of this case, to officiate to the Bar Association where it is registered due to the search for audience frustration,” he added.
The hearing was rescheduled for November 7 so that the new defense can prepare its strategy. “I will understand that you are not prepared due to the promptness with which you have come, but you will decide how much time you need to evaluate all these actions and discuss it in another upcoming hearing,” he said.
Vladimir Cerrón: what is the Antalsis case?
The Antalsis case is linked to an investigation for alleged corruption involving Vladimir Cerronformer governor of the Junín region and leader of the Peru Libre political party.
The investigation focuses on possible irregularities related to the contracting of the Spanish company Antalsis, which would have been favored with public works awards in Junín during the Cerrón administration, between 2011 and 2014.
According to the prosecution’s thesis, those involved, including Cerrón, would have defrauded the State of more than 26 million soles through alleged irregular contracts for public works carried out in that period. In this scheme, an inter-institutional agreement would have been signed with the state company SIMA, which subsequently subcontracted to the private company Antalsis.
