Fujimori on Trial :: Fujimori procesado

 Alberto Fujimori.

February 22, 2008

Twenty-seventh session. Jhonny Berrios Rojas, former intelligence agent in the Peruvian army, was the only witness to testify. Carlos Pichilingüe, supposed administrative head of the Colina group, was present but did not testify due to the absence of his defense lawyer.

Journalist Umberto Jara was also summoned, but did not attend since he is currently outside of Lima.

Jhonny Berrios Rojas was chosen from the Army Intelligence Service to be a part of the Detectives Special Brigade (BREDET), a special program of the National Police of Peru (PNP).

Berrios Rojas testified that while he was doing a follow-up with his colleague Silvia Ibarra Espinoza, regarding a building on the same street where the Barrios Altos crime would later be committed, he was arrested by police officers due to his suspicious behavior. After he later identified himself as a member of the army, an Army Intelligence Service official arrived to release him from police custody. He denied having done any further follow-up with the building where the massacre was committed.

He also said that he recently found out when he testified in the Anti-Corruption Court for the Barrios Altos case, that in 1995 the military court tried him in absentia for homicide in the Barrios Altos case, where his signature appeared on a document, but that he was acquitted.

In other words, there was a phony criminal trial in the military court four years after the Barrios Altos massacre — the same year that the “Amnesty Law” was passed.

Carlos Pichilingüe, supposed administrative leader of the Colina death squad, could not testify since his defense lawyer was absent due to medical reasons. Pichilingüe is currently being tried in another court for crimes carried out by Colina.

When the Court asked Pichilingüe if he would like to be assigned a state lawyer due to his own lawyer’s absence, he declined, saying that he has a position contrary to all state lawyers. He also mentioned that he has evidence to present to the court, demonstrating that journalist Umberto Jara offered him US$250 thousand to incriminate Fujimori in the trial.

Jara, who will testify next week, is author of the book Eye for an Eye (Ojo por ojo), which is based on the journalist’s interviews with Pichilingüe and Santiago Martin Rivas (supposedly in charge of operations in Colina) while they were in hiding due to their being sought by justice. The book indicates, among other things, that Fujimori was aware of the meeting where the decision to apply a low-intensity war was made and that he was also aware of Colina’s activities.

During court recess, the “fujimoristas” complained of Fujimori’s prison conditions, arguing that he should not be considered a maximum security prisoner who can only be visited by family members. However, Fujimori has already been condemned to six years of prison for the crime of illegal entry.

For the next session on Monday, Feb. 25, both Umberto Jara and Carlos Pichilingüe will be present.

For the coming sessions, the following witnesses — including policemen, military officials and a former Peruvian vice-president — have been summoned:

1. Fernando Rodríguez Zabalbeascoa 
2. Federico Navarro Pérez   
3. Víctor Raúl Silva Mendoza
4. Luis Cubas Portal
5. Alberto Pinto Cárdenas
6. Enrique Oliveros Pérez
7. Alberto Pino Benamu
8. Juan Rivero Lazo
9. Juan Alberto Barteti 
10. Carlos Miranda Balarezo
11. José Velarde Astete
12. Luis Pérez Documet
13. Luis Rojas Neyra
14. César Ramal Pesantes
15. Willy Alberto Chirinos Chirinos
16. Pablo Carmona Acha
17. Rolando Valdivia Dueñas
18. Luis Salazar Monroe
19. Arnaldo Velarde Ramírez
20. Petronio Fernández Dávila
21. Hugo Martínez Aloja
22. Alberto Ríos Rueda
23. César Burga Colchado
24. Miguel Ángel Bernal Neyra
25. Miguel Rojas García
26. Alberto Arciniega Huby
27. Rodolfo Robles Espinoza
28. Antonio Ketín Vidal Ramírez
29. Julio Salazar Monroe
30. Vladimiro Montesinos Torres
31. Pedro Villanueva Valdivia
32. Nicolás Hermoza Ríos
33. Juan Briones Dávila
34. Máximo San Román Cáceres