Peru’s Supreme Prosecutor Removed from Office for Misconduct

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The National Justice Board (JNJ) dismissed Pedro Gonzalo Chavarry from the position of Supreme Prosecutor after having determined that he committed a very serious offense when a file sealed by Prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez was opened, and for having lied about his conversation with former Supreme Judge Cesar Hinostroza.

The decision was taken unanimously by members of the National Justice Board (JNJ), after hearing the report of the rapporteur assigned to the case, Maria Zavala, who presented the conclusions that recommended imposing a sanction on Chavarry, who was facing four charges in both cases.

“He is unanimously absolved of charge A and sanctioned with dismissal from office as charges B, C and D were proved true, in which his conduct constitutes a very serious offense,” National Justice Board Chair Ines Tello expressed.

“This brings the disciplinary process to an end, and the notification will be processed within the stipulated time frame,” she added.

Disciplinary process

Zavala’s report concludes that Chavarry’s dismissal from office is a suitable, necessary, and proportionate measure as it was proved that he had lied about the conversations with Cesar Hinostroza, for having participated in the opening of a sealed file at the Public Ministry, and for having summoned an advisor to Congress on this case to his office.

He was absolved of guilt for a conversation he had with Cesar Hinostroza to coordinate a meeting with journalists in order to support his election as attorney general.

“The dismissal is not only suitable and/or adequate to help strengthen the Public Ministry because a supreme prosecutor is no longer able to build up confidence in citizens due to the arbitrary way in which he acted,” Zavala stated.

According to the rapporteur, it (the dismissal) is “absolutely necessary” because of a series of acts of interference and a “blameworthy conduct” of the person under investigation, which would not be acceptable to the society as a whole.