An appeals court in Peru ruled Friday that former President Ollanta Humala and his wife must remain in pre-trial detention for up to 18 months while prosecutors prepare money-laundering charges against them.
Humala, who was president of the Andean nation just a year ago, and former first lady Nadine Heredia are accused of taking illegally obtained campaign donations from Brazilian builder Odebrecht and late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that prosecutors say they used for personal enrichment.
The couple has denied the charges and appealed a lower court's ruling last month that had ordered them jailed before trial to keep them from fleeing or obstructing an investigation.
The couple has denied the accusations and said their pre-trial detention violates due process.
