Former first lady of Honduras sentenced to 58 years in jail

Former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla de Lobo arrives at a court hearing after being convicted on graft charges, in Tegucigalpa
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TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The former first lady of Honduras Rosa Elena Bonilla, wife of ex-president Porfirio Lobo, was sentenced on Wednesday to 58 years in jail on charges of fraud and undue appropriation of funds, a spokesman for the nation's highest court said.
Bonilla, 52, has been in custody since February 2018.
Her defense attorney said Bonilla was innocent and an appeal would be filed with the Central American nation's Supreme Court. That would be Bonilla's last chance to avoid serving out the sentence.



"The former first lady Rosa Elena Bonilla was sentenced to 58 years in jail for the crimes of undue appropriation of funds and fraud," said Supreme Court spokesman Carlos Silva.
Bonilla was accused of misusing the equivalent of $779,000 in funds between 2010 and 2014 that came from international donations and public funds, and which were meant to be used for social programs, according to an investigation carried out by attorney general's office and a unit of the Organization of American States.
Bonilla used the money to pay for medical bills, jewelry, tuition for her children and construction work, according to the attorney general's office.
The court also sentenced Bonilla's close associate, Saul Escobar, to a 48-year jail sentence for embezzlement of public funds and fraud, said Silva.
Even if Bonilla and Escobar do not manage to overturn or reduce their jail sentences, they will only serve a maximum of 30 years, which is the maximum allowed by Honduran law, court sources said.
Lobo, who governed Honduras between 2010 and 2014, has also been linked to the Cachiros criminal organization in trials in the United States and has rejected these accusations.
One of Lobo's sons pleaded guilty in 2017 before a U.S. court to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

(Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Sandra Maler)




When are we going to ever do this. Since 20years of democracy. NO GOVERNOR, DEPUTY GOVERNOR, COMMISSIONER, LGA CHAIRMAN have gone to see 21days in jail despite their loots. It's all back and forth drama, politics, power play, power circles, judgement delays, appeals, plea bargains, immunity, ethnocentrism. Next thing US and our short-term memory forgets that's ever happened. "Justice delayed is Justice denied". I just would say like the Ghanaian writer Ayi Kwei Armah "The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet born". There has never been equality before the law in this country, why wouldn't anyone ever think they can get away with a CRIME. If a leader gets punished, followers would adjust and that is the best deterrent to everyone. If my papa steal money that belongs to 10million people and he gets killed if found guilty! Do you think I can ever steal or my grandchildren would ever steal. Killing people who steal what belongs to the masses is justified because that ACT OF GREED alone would affect quality of life for all moreso killing tens of thousand people due to ill health, lack of social security and a lot more. A single mans' life is not worth a million others.

Now it's like nothing is working and things keeps looking bleak by the day. I have never felt like leaving my country EVER. But now I do feel that way and I can see from other people's perspectives. Our LIFE risks propensity has never been the same and can't ever be. I pray we grow as a nation and have an exemplary leader who can lead the nation right.

Yawa dey

Nigerian politicians be like........

Chimo! Naija polithiefians will be like "adonbelivit, ordinary misappropriation of fund thats a normal way of life here" . If na the reason for her sentence be that truly, e mean say na both past & present presidents of Naija suppose dey cool dem asses for jail oh. That's how a country with working & functional system is supposed to operate. I rest my case.