Lula sentenced to 9 years and six months in jail for corruption

Former President of Brazil Lula Inacio Lual Da Silva has been sentenced to nine years and six months’ jail for corruption. He ruled Brazil between 2003 to 2010, was accused of accepting favours form construction companies in exchange for helping them secure business with government companies.  However, he will remain free pending an appeal.

He was accused of receiving the use of a beachside luxury apartment from construction company OAS. Mr Lula da Silva denied the charges. If the ruling is confirmed by the appeals court before elections in 2018, he would face jail and would be ruled out from competing in the poll. The current President Michel Temer is also facing corruption charges, investors are hoping Mr Temer will have enough political capital to push through his reform agenda, including the pensions overhaul.

Lula, born to a poor family from Brazil’ s impoverished north-east, and became a trade unionist and rose to become the country’s first president from a humble background. He was also credited with lifting millions of ordinary poor Brazilians out of poverty during the boom of the first decade.