Cochabamba, Bolivia, Dec 19 (Prensa Latina) The Prefecture of Cochabamba requested the Justice Ministry a warrant for the arrest of former Prefect Manfred Reyes Villa on charges of alleged falsification of a mortgage and the fraudulent sale of his apartment.
 According to the Prefecture’s legal advisor, Camilo Medina, who was quoted on Saturday by the newspaper Cambio, the arrest was requested on Thursday and again on Friday, because the defendant failed to appear to testify.
“In the light of his absence we have requested a warrant for his arrest, which is only aimed at taking him before the Prosecutor to testify,” noted Medina, adding that the ex prefect did not appear to testify because he is no longer in the country.
Previously, the minister of Transparency and Fight against Corruption, Nardi Suxo, had said that failing to appear before the Prosecutor has complicated the situation of Reyes Villa, who was the presidential candidate from Plan Progreso para Bolivia (PPB).
The fugitive is accused of 11 charges, three of which include the use of state assets and incompliance with his duties.
Suxo noted that during his mandate as the prefect of Cochabamba (from January 2005 to August 2008), Reyes Villa used state funds illegally and affected the department’s development seriously.
He is also accused of fraudulent acquisition of luxury vehicles at 41,000 dollars at a time when Cochabamba needed that money to carry out development projects, Suxo said
Reyes Villa is also accused of irregularities during the construction of the Vinto-Sacambaya road at an estimated cost of ten million dollars.
Source: Prensa Latina
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