Cristina Fern谩ndez de Kirchner: Argentina ex-president faces trial

Image source, AFP

Image caption, Cristina Fern谩ndez de Kirchner denies all the charges

Argentina's former President Cristina Fern谩ndez de Kirchner is to go on trial for corruption, a federal court has ruled.

She is accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes over a 12-year period in what has become known as the "corruption notebooks" scandal.

Ms Fern谩ndez, who is now a senator, denies any wrongdoing and claims the charges are politically motivated.

She has immunity from imprisonment, but not prosecution.

Three of her homes were raided in August as part of the criminal investigation.

Image source, AFP

Image caption, Police outside one of Cristina Fern谩ndez de Kirchner's homes in Santa Cruz Province in Patagonia

Ms Fern谩ndez, 65, is accused of being at the centre of a massive corruption racket that allegedly saw millions of dollars in bribes paid by businessmen to government officials.

The allegations stem from a batch of records kept by Oscar Centeno, a driver for a public works official, between 2005 and 2015.

In the notebooks, Mr Centeno writes about delivering bags of cash from construction bosses to government officials, which prosecutors say totalled some $160m (拢125m).

Mr Centeno's notebooks include a reference to money exchanging hands at the home shared by Ms Fern谩ndez and her late husband, N茅stor Kirchner, as well as the presidential residence and government headquarters. However, none of this has been proved.

More than a dozen people, including businessmen and former government officials, were arrested after the notebooks were handed to authorities by La Naci贸n newspaper earlier this year. They are also due to stand trial.

Ms Fern谩ndez served as president for two consecutive terms, from 2007 to 2015, having succeeded her husband who was president from 2003 to 2007. He died in 2010.