Nicaragua: Manager of La Prensa newspaper found guilty of money laundering

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(CNN Spanish) --

Juan Lorenzo Holmann Chamorro, manager of the newspaper La Prensa, was found guilty on Wednesday of the crime of money laundering, according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights, Cenidh, through its Twitter account.

"As expected, an unfair conviction was issued for the crime of money laundering. The Prosecutor's Office requested 9 years and 4 months in prison plus an unknown fine," reported Cenidh.

🔴According to information from the family to the newspaper @laprensa, a judicial farce against Juan Lorenzo Holman has ended, As expected, an unjust conviction was issued for the crime of money laundering, the Prosecutor's Office requested 9 years and 4 months in prison plus an unknown fine .

pic.twitter.com/SPqi9yVP8Y

– Cenidh (@cenidh) March 24, 2022

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The defense alleged that, although the authorities ordered the removal of bank secrecy from Holmann's accounts and those of the newspaper, among the evidence there was no economic report that confirmed the illicit origin of the funds, attributable to money laundering, according to what was reported. the newspaper La Prensa this Wednesday.

CNN has not been able to learn details of this judicial process, which, like the cases against opponents of the Government of Daniel Ortega, are carried out behind closed doors in the Directorate of Judicial Assistance.

The Public Ministry has not updated information on these processes either.

According to information shared by Chrystal Munguía, Holmann's wife, published by the newspaper La Prensa, Holmann declared his innocence in the face of the charges and said he was proud to belong to the Chamorro family, for their moral and Christian values ​​and their service to the nation, alluding to his uncle Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, former director of La Prensa, assassinated by the Somoza dictatorship in 1978, and his widow, former president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, who governed Nicaragua from 1990 to 1997.

“I am innocent and have not committed any crime.

If I am going to receive a punishment for having the last name Chamorro, I am willing to comply with it,” Holmann said, according to statements published in the newspaper La Prensa.

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The charges faced by the manager of the newspaper La Prensa

The Police arrested Holmann on August 14 under investigation for alleged economic crimes, after carrying out a raid on the newspaper La Prensa.

Two days later, the Judiciary admitted the Prosecutor's request to grant 90 days in prison to expand the investigations against him.

Family members and lawyers rejected the accusations.

President Daniel Ortega implicitly referred to the case during an act to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the naval force, which took place on August 12, 2021.

"The one who commits a crime, who lends himself to laundering money and then to hide the evidence of money laundering in a newspaper, hide the evidence of money laundering there, they have been found there; well, it is not me who is going to judge them, That is up to the Police to investigate further, it is up to the Prosecutor's Office," said Ortega.

This same week, the Judiciary sentenced the journalist and former presidential candidate Cristiana Chamorro Barrios, Holmann's cousin, to 8 years in prison for money laundering and improper withholding.

Along with Chamorro, her brother Pedro Joaquín Chamorro was also sentenced to 9 years in prison, in addition to 3 other workers of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy.

All have pleaded not guilty and their lawyers will appeal the ruling.

Nicaragua