Guatemala Leader's Son And Brother Arrested On Corruption Charges

Faizan Hashmi Published January 18, 2017 | 10:50 PM

GUATEMALA CITY, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jan, 2017 ) : A son and a brother of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales were arrested Wednesday on corruption charges over suspected fraud in a state food contract, officials said.

The detentions were a potential embarrassment for Morales, a former tv comedian who became president a year ago on vows to clean up rampant graft in his country. Sammy Morales, one of the president's three brothers and reportedly the closest to him after co-producing his TV show for 15 years, was arrested as part of an investigation into the $12,000 food contract, attorney general Thelma Aldana told the Guatevision television network.

Shortly afterward, Jose Morales, one of the president's four children, was also in police custody after a warrant was issued to get him from inside the protected presidential palace. Prosecutors suspect fraud in the food contract, which was meant to provide breakfasts for 564 people with public money from a general property registry.

The former head of the registry was arrested in September.