Former Mexican governor accused of graft turns himself in

Record ID: 79396

  • Title: Former Mexican governor accused of graft turns himself in
  • Date: 11th November 2016
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (NOVEMBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURES, GILBERTO HIGUERA, SAYING: "There are elements to prove his probable responsibility for committing acts that could be considered crimes of organised crime and operations with the use of illegal funding." HIGUERA LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 26th November 2016 17:06
  • Keywords: Mexican governor Guillermo Padres corruption authorities ex-state leaders
  • Location: HERMOSILLO, SONORA / MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • City: HERMOSILLO, SONORA / MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0035804L6R
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Former Mexican governor Guillermo Padres, who has been accused of corruption, turned himself in to authorities on Thursday (November 10), a rare move for one of Mexico's many ex-state leaders facing graft charges.
    The former governor of Sonora, a northwestern state bordering the United States, says he is innocent of charges of money laundering, tax fraud and embezzlement from his tenure from 2009 to 2015.
    "We issued an arrest warrant against him for his probable responsibility for committing acts that could be considered crimes of tax fraud together with operations with the use of illegal funding," Deputy Attorney General of Criminal Procedures, Gilberto Higuera said.
    Marines escorted Padres to prison in western Mexico City on Thursday after Padres appeared on a local radio show to defend himself.
    Padres told the radio station he hoped the step of handing myself in sets a precedent and shows his good faith and willingness to prove his innocence.
    Several former governors, chiefly from the governing Institutional Revolutionary Party, face allegations of corruption, although few have been arrested.
    Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte also faces an arrest warrant but is on the run.
    Padres has belonged to the opposition National Action Party, which suspended him this month.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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