Judge freezes ex-Brazilian President's bank accounts

The Brazilian federal judge who found former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva guilty on corruption charges issued an order freezing four bank accounts belonging to the politician.

The affected accounts hold a total of 606,727 reais ($192,002), banking regulators said.

Judge Sergio Moro on Wednesday said the aim of the move was to ensure Lula's ability to pay any fines that may be imposed on the former head of state if the conviction is upheld, reports Efe news.

A week ago, Moro sentenced Lula to nine years and six months in prison in connection with the massive corruption scandal centred on state oil company Petrobras.

Moro found Lula guilty of having accepted services valued at 3.7 million reais ($1 million) from a construction company that benefited from contracts with Petrobras.

Though he still faces several other corruption trials, Lula will remain eligible to run for President next year until and unless a conviction is upheld on appeal, something unlikely to happen before mid-2018 at the earliest.

Brazilian lawmakers are set to vote August 2 on whether to allow a criminal case to proceed against incumbent President Michel Temer, who is accused of accepting bribes from meatpacking giant JBS and of encouraging that company to pay hush money to a former top lawmaker convicted earlier this year in connection with the Petrobras scheme.

--IANS

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