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Why court sentence Argentina Vice President to six years in prison

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Former vice-president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

One court for Argentina don sentence di kontri vice-president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to six years in prison for corruption.

Dis na one case wey don shake di kontri.

Because na di first time ever wey dem go convict a vice-president wey dey office of a crime inside Argentina.

Prosecutors wey drag Cristina go court bin dey seek for 12-year jail sentence for her.

Wetin dem accuse Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of?

Court find Cristina guilty of “fraudulent administration” over di award of public works contracts to a friend.

Prosecutors tok say Fernández bin lead one unlawful partnership during di time wen she be president of Argentina from 2007 to 2015.

Dem say she bin create one kickback scheme wey dey manoeuvre lucrative public work contracts to her friend in return for bribes.

Court also sentence Businessman Lázaro Báez, wey be di owner of one construction firm wey dem accuse say na di main beneficiary of di scheme, to six years in prison.

Eleven oda pipo dey di trial. Court find seven guilty and sentence dem to between three and a half and six years in prison then release three and dismiss one case.

Meanwhile, for last year, one court bin don already sentence Lazaro to 12 years in prison for money-laundering.

Di prosecutors tok say dem uncover irregularities for dozens of public work tenders wey dey awarded for di southern province of Santa Cruz, wey be Fernández political stronghold.

Many of di construction projects no dey complete.

Prosecutor Diego Luciani describe am as “probably di biggest corruption operation di kontri don know of”.

E also say di alleged kickback scheme don cause di Argentine state loss of at least $1bn (£818m).

Cristina wey be 69 years old, don strongly deny all di allegations against her. She say di charges against her dey politically motivated.

Afta di verdict, Cristina describe hersef as di victim of “judicial mafia”, di Associated Press news agency report.

Before di ruling, she don bin also accuse di prosecutors of lying and spoiling her name alias slandering her.

Di case don cause division among pipo wey support her and those wey dey criticise her for di kontri.

Her supporters bin enta street for outside her apartment for Buenos Aires to back di vice-president.

Sometimes, di supporters go clash wit critics of Cristina, wey dey accuse her say she be “thief”.

Na during one of dis gathering on 1 September, Cristina become di target of one assassination attempt.

One 35-year-old man point gun for di vice-president head, but di weapon jam as e try to shoot her.

Authorities don charge di man wit attempted murder.

Wetin go happun next and to her office?

Even though, court find her guilty and don sentence am to jail, dem no go send Cristina go prison immediately.

Di Argentina vice president no dey likely to serve jail time.

Although dem don ban her from public office for life, however she go continue for her role as vice-president while di case go through higher courts.

Cristina get some immunity through her goment roles and dey expected to launch one lengthy appeals process.

As an elected public officer holder, Cristina dey enjoy some degree of immunity wey prevent her from arrest until December 10, 2023, wen her term go end.

Dis mean say she go dey able to remain free and continue for her post while she appeal against di court judgement for Supreme Court.

As di appeal process fit take years, Cristina also fit dey able to run again for di senate or even for di presidency for di 2023 election.

And dis fit extend her immunity if she win for di next year election.

Profile of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner don hold plenti titles over di years wey she don dey for politics

She don be di kontri first elected female leader, former first lady, and now vice-president.

Dem born Cristina, as di majority of Argentines dey call her, on 19 February 1953 for La Plata, di capital of di province of Buenos Aires, where she go on to study law.

Cristina na lawyer and politician.

She marry Nestor Kirchner, wey she meet for university, for 1975.

One year later di couple pack go live for Nestor Kirchner home region, di southern province of Santa Cruz.

For di end of di 1980s Cristina begin her political career – first as a provincial then as a national deputy.

Meanwhile, her husband rise through di ranks of di Peronist political movement.

For 1991, dem elect Kirchner as governor of Santa Cruz. E win two more terms, while Cristina support am as a deputy.

Wen Kirchner take office as president for 2003 – in di midst of one of di worst economic and social crises for di kontri – one similar pattern come out.

By then Cristina na senator with her own political weight in Congress, where she dey actively support her husband policies wey include boosting social spending.

Cristina cement her political position for di congressional elections of 2005.

For 2007, Cristina become di first female elected president of Argentina and hold di office until 2015.

 

Source: www.bbc.com

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