(CNN Spanish) — Yenifer Paredes Navarro, sister-in-law of the president of Peru, turned herself in to the authorities this Wednesday, a source with knowledge of the case confirmed to CNN.
Paredes was wanted by the Peruvian authorities in the framework of an investigation of an alleged “crime against the public administration in the form of influence peddling to the detriment of the State.”
Paredes’ lawyer told the newspaper on Wednesday The Republic that she did not know her whereabouts and that she is not aware of the preliminary detention measures, attributing the proceedings of the Prosecutor’s Office to “a political issue.”
On Tuesday, the investigators arrived at the National Palace in search of Paredes after the Eighth Investigation Court of the National Superior Court of Specialized Criminal Justice ordered “the immediate location and capture” of Paredes and three businessmen, according to the document to the that CNN had access to.
The team of prosecutors and a special team of the Police were present at the Government Palace at the end of Tuesday afternoon, but until the night they had not located her, according to sources close to the Prosecutor’s Office.
In statements to the newspaper The Republic, Paredes’s lawyer, José Quesnay, said he did not know his whereabouts. “She lives in Cajamarca, according to what she has told the Prosecutor’s Office,” he said. Quesnay added that “the Prosecutor’s Office has requested a preliminary arrest measure, but that the actions are carried out without the slightest knowledge of it.” He also considered that the proceedings of the Public Ministry are due to a political issue. “Justice should not be administered at any cost. She (Yenifer Paredes) did not know about this measure,” he said.
On the night of this Tuesday, Castillo sent a message to the nation in which he maintained that the “Government Palace and the Presidential House, once again have been violated with an illegal search endorsed by a judge, coincidentally when the request for requested my disqualification for 5 years to take away from the Peruvian people their legitimate government”.
Castillo introduced Paredes as his daughter during the presidential campaign, since he and his wife raised her from a young age. The court order establishes that once Paredes is located, she remains detained for 10 days.
Paredes is being preliminarily investigated for an alleged crime against the public administration in the form of influence peddling to the detriment of the State. Weeks ago, the president’s sister-in-law appeared before the Congress of the Republic in response to a summons from her and denied the accusations against her.
CNN has contacted the Peruvian Presidency for comment.
The first lady, Lilia Paredes, gave her statement to the Prosecutor’s Office on July 8 in the framework of the investigations carried out for alleged influence peddling against her sister.
This Special Team Against the Corruption of Power was created in the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the officials of the Castillo government and their closest circle.