Witness in Spy Chief Case Is Apparent Suicide
A Peruvian general who was a key witness in a corruption case against former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos was found dead in an apparent suicide, officials said.
Retired Gen. Oscar Villanueva, under house arrest on embezzlement and conspiracy charges, also faced allegations that he used $20,000 in state funds to buy jewels for Montesinos to give to television personality Laura Bozzo.
Police said Villanueva was found in his brother’s home, shot in the mouth. He left two farewell letters. “It was an apparent suicide,” prosecutor Mercedes Velez said. Peru blames Montesinos for widespread corruption under disgraced former President Alberto Fujimori.
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