Peru's Supreme Court of Justice Tuesday cleared Alberto Fujimori of criminal conduct in the purchase of military vehicles and helicopter parts in 1993 for the Defense Ministry, thus acquitting the former president in one of the 21 criminal charges against him.

The court said in a ruling that judicial investigations showed that the above-mentioned purchase by the Fujimori administration was legal and Fujimori did not seek personal favors from the process. Thus, the charges he faces on the issue should be excluded.

It was the first judicial ruling on Fujimori who had served as president since 1990, before fleeing to Japan in November 2000 amid corruption scandals.

He still faces 20 other charges ranging from abuse of power to authorizing a paramilitary death squad to kill innocent civilians.

"It's a first step. There are various criminal proceedings and in each one there is the struggle for due process," Fujimori's lawyer, Cesar Nakazaki, told reporters.

Prosecutor Avelino Guillen has been seeking a 12-year sentence against Fujimori, and sentences against a few of his cabinet members on charges of unjust collusion, abuse of power, conspiracy and embezzlement.

Fujimori has vowed to return to Peru to take part in next April's presidential elections if he manages to make Peruvian authorities lift the arrest warrant against him.

Source: Xinhua