A major witness in the case of corruption, Susanna Villaran, former

Prosecutors in Peru says that a major witness in the corruption case of the former mayor of Peru, Lima, was found dead in his home, says public prosecutors in Peru, less than three months before the trial began.

Jose Miguel Castro, who was living under the arrest of the house, was responsible for the municipality during the period of Susanna Villaran in 2011 to 2011.

He was a participant in the trial with Mrs. Villaran, who is accused of receiving bribes of $ 10 million (7.3 million pounds) from Brazilian construction companies.

In 2019, Mrs. Villarne admitted to receiving money from these companies, but she denied that she was bribes. Mr. Castro was cooperating with the prosecutors in the investigation. The cause of his death is not yet known.

“He was the second most important person behind Mrs. Villarne,” said Prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez in Peru News News.

“We were expecting his valuable contribution,” he added.

Villarran, 75, accused of collusion, money laundering and the formation of a criminal organization that has received millions of dollars from Odebrecht building companies – which is now called Novonor – and OAS.

Prosecutors said that Mr. Castro was the second alleged criminal organization.

In 2019, Ms. Villarran admitted money from Odebrecht and OAS to finance her 2013 municipal campaign to stay in office, but she denied that she was bribes.

The trial is scheduled to start on September 23.

Mrs. Villarne is one of the number of Peruvian politicians involved in the Odebrecht scandal.

In 2016, the Brazilian construction giant recognized officials throughout Latin America and parts of Africa to obtain construction contracts.

Since then, a number of former presidents have been investigated in Peru, including Honta Hemaala, who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this year, and Alejandro Toledo, who was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison last year.

Another former leader, Alan Garcia, was killed when the authorities arrived at his home for arrest in 2019.

An investigation against another former president, Pedro Pablo Kochinski, is continuing. He denies the charges.