São Paulo prosecutors want former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to be held in preventive detention in connection with criminal charges filed against him on Wednesday.
In the event of a trial and an adverse conviction, Lula da Silva could face a 13-year prison term.
But prosecutors argue that they fear the ex-leader will mobilize his “violent support network” and intimidate witnesses involved in the corruption probe.
A judge must now decide whether to accept the preventive detention request or not.
Prosecutors said the former Workers’ Party (PT) leader is a flight risk and that he could place obstacles in the way of the investigation into allegations of money laundering and misrepresentation of assets.
Fuente: http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/03/11/inenglish/1457692737_194892.html
