Brazil court authorises arrest warrant for Lula

Rio de Janeiro April 6 (IANS) An appeals court has authorised Brazil s judiciary to issue an arrest warrant against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The order on Thursday has come just hours after the Federal Supreme Court rejected a habeas corpus motion to spare Lula from having to begin a 12-year prison sentence until he had exhausted his appeals process Xinhua news agency reported.

The court based in southern Brazil s Porto Alegre paved the way for Federal Judge Sergio Moro who has been leading Operation Car Wash a wide-reaching investigation into corruption involving state oil giant Petrobras to order Lula s arrest.

Last year Moro convicted Lula for accepting perks from a major construction firm that won lucrative government contracts including the use of a luxury beachside apartment.

Lula s original 9.5-year sentence was extended to 12 years by an appeals court in January.

--IANS
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