A court in Ecuador has sentenced former president Abdala Bucaram to nine years and four months in prison for his involvement in a criminal organization that fraudulently sold medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bucaram, who led the country from August 1996 to February 1997, may serve his sentence under house arrest due to his age, as permitted under Ecuadorian law.

The ruling also applies to Bucaram’s son, Jacobo Bucaram, who was convicted alongside him and received the same sentence. Both were among four individuals accused by the Attorney General’s Office of profiting from illicit dealings involving approximately 21,000 rapid Covid-19 tests and other medical supplies. These transactions took place between March and August 2020, a period when Ecuador was confronting one of the most severe outbreaks of the pandemic in the region.

Prosecutors stated that the defendants constituted an organized criminal group that engaged repeatedly and in a coordinated manner to commit crimes. The defense team for Abdala Bucaram has not issued any public statements following the verdict, but the former president retains the right to appeal the decision.

The case highlights the ongoing scrutiny faced by public figures accused of exploiting emergency health measures for personal financial gain amid the global health crisis.