Guatemala Congress on Tuesday voted to strip President Otto Perez Molina of immunity from prosecution. The unanimous vote paves the way for possible prosecution of Guatemalan President in a massive bribery scandal that sparked country wide protests last month, according to CNN.
Molina is allegedly involved in a massive bribery scandal, under which the foreign companies allowed to import goods into the country without paying customs duties in return of bribes, according to BBC.
More than 20 public officials, including former Vice President Roxana Baldetti has already been arrested for their involvement in scandal, which is known as ''La Linea'', according to Euronews. La Linea, or the Line, is a phone hotline used in the customs graft racket.
"In the eyes of the justice system he is now a common citizen given he no longer has immunity, and so there will be a criminal prosecution against the president," Attorney General Thelma Aldana told a news conference shortly after the vote, according to France24.
"Guatemala is showing that no one is above the law. As a result, this is a message for all current and future public servants that our behaviour must be subject to the constitution," she said, according to Sky News.
The 64-year-old Molina repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and refused to resign.
"I categorically deny and reject the accusation that I was involved (in a corruption scheme) and having received any money from that customs fraud scheme," he had said in a radio broadcast speech last month, according to CNN.
