Peru’s former president, Ollanta Humala, has been found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

A court in the capital, Lima, said he had accepted illegal funds from the Venezuelan president at the time, Hugo Chávez, and from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to bankroll his election campaigns in 2006 and 2011.

Humala’s lawyer said he would appeal against the conviction.

His wife, Nadine Heredia, was also found guilty of money laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, she has been granted safe passage to Brazil after seeking asylum in the Brazilian embassy.

Humala’s lawyer said he would appeal against the conviction.

Unlike her husband, Heredia was not present in court when Judge Nayko Coronado passed sentence – she had entered the Brazilian embassy along with the couple’s son before an arrest warrant could be executed.