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| Former Paraguay president jailed | Former Paraguay president jailed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The former President of Paraguay, Luis Gonzalez Macchi, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for fraud and embezzlement. | The former President of Paraguay, Luis Gonzalez Macchi, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for fraud and embezzlement. |
| Mr Gonzalez Macchi was convicted of holding more than $1m (£550,000) in a secret Swiss bank account. | |
| His wife, Susana Galli, was cleared of the charges, as was one of the former president's business associates. | His wife, Susana Galli, was cleared of the charges, as was one of the former president's business associates. |
| Mr Gonzalez Macchi's account dated from the period of his presidency, between 1999 and 2003. | Mr Gonzalez Macchi's account dated from the period of his presidency, between 1999 and 2003. |
| The tribunal said he had also been convicted of giving false testimony about the bank account. | The tribunal said he had also been convicted of giving false testimony about the bank account. |
| He has been barred from public office for the next eight years and, in addition, he has been ordered to pay fines of $500,000 (£252,000). | He has been barred from public office for the next eight years and, in addition, he has been ordered to pay fines of $500,000 (£252,000). |
| Mr Gonzalez Macchi, who correspondents say presided over a period of political instability and corruption in the country, had an earlier conviction for corruption overturned. | Mr Gonzalez Macchi, who correspondents say presided over a period of political instability and corruption in the country, had an earlier conviction for corruption overturned. |
| In June, he had been found guilty of involvement in the illegal transfer of $16m (£8.5m) but the conviction was later overturned by an appeals court. | In June, he had been found guilty of involvement in the illegal transfer of $16m (£8.5m) but the conviction was later overturned by an appeals court. |