Peru ex-president Humala walks free after conviction quashed

Peru's former president Ollanta Humala on Friday was released from prison after his 15-year sentence for money laundering, linked to a massive graft scandal involving Brazilian construction group Odebrecht, was overturned.

Humala, a former army officer who led the country from 2011 to 2016, left the prison in Lima in a vehicle at about 7:40 pm (0040 GMT Saturday), under police escort.

A crowd of supporters was on hand to see his release.

Humala, 64, was the first Peruvian ex-leader to face trial in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, which has also tainted three other former presidents -- Alejandro Toledo, Martin Vizcarra and Pedro Castillo.

All four were serving their sentences in a prison reserved especially for them, on a police base.

Humala and his wife were convicted last year for receiving illegal contributions from Odebrecht and the Venezuelan government in two presidential campaigns.

"We have been victims of political and judicial persecution," Humala told reporters outside the small prison facility.

His wife Nadine Heredia sought asylum in Brazil after her conviction, and remains there.

Upon arriving at his home, where he said his mother-in-law and a child were waiting for him, Humala said he had "never received campaign contributions from either Venezuela or Brazil."

"But they dragged us into a trial; they subjected us to a criminal proceeding because of our ideology," he said.

Peru's Constitutional Court declared Humala's sentence null and void, in a ruling published Thursday. A criminal court then ordered his release.

The country's new Foreign Minister Carlos Espa called the ruling "fair."

"I am very pleased" with the court's decision, Espa -- who is in the government of right-wing President Keiko Fujimori, a political rival of the leftist Humala -- had said earlier.

In 2016, Odebrecht agreed to pay $3.5 billion in penalties after having spent $788 million in bribes to foreign leaders and government officials in order to win infrastructure projects in Latin America.

Odebrecht admitted to having paid at least $29 million in bribes to Peruvian officials between 2005 and 2014.

The company is considered responsible for one of the biggest foreign bribery schemes in history.

Fujimori also faced legal proceedings in connection with campaign contributions from Odebrecht and others. She spent more than a year in pre-trial detention before the proceedings were annulled.

Humala defeated Fujimori in a 2011 runoff to win the presidency.

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