Lula da Silva sentenced to 9 and a half years for corruption

Former Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , was sentenced today to 9 and a half years on the charges of corruption in the first of the five trials linked to bribery.

Lula's lawyers said they would appeal any guilty ruling and asserted that the trial is a political witchhunt .

The defense of the former leader, who will remain free on appeal, did not immediately respond to requests for declarations.

Judge Sergio Moro found Lula guilty of accepting $3,7 million reais in bribes from the engineering firm OAS SA . Prosecutors say that the company refurbished a beach apartment for Lula with that money in return for his help winning contracts with the state oil company Petrobras .

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