The presiding federal judge in Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's corruption trial told Brazilian media on Wednesday found the ex-president guilty of having accepted bribes valuing around 3.7 million reals ($1.2 million, 1.1 million euros).

The money was spent on renovating a three-story beachfront apartment in the Atlantic coast municipality of Guaruja for Lula. In exchange, the ex-president helped the OAS construction company obtain lucrative government contracts with the state oil company Petrobras.

Read more: Brazilian judge orders corruption investigation into political elite

Lula, who held the presidential office between 2003 and 2010, consistently denied the charges against him throughout his trial.

Some Brazilians see Judge Sergio Moro (left), who presided over Lula's corruption case, as a potential future political candidate

Trial judge Sergio Moro said the 71-year-old Workers' Party politician would remain free for the moment, given the possibility of appeal against the sentence. Lula's legal team has promised to appeal any conviction.

On multiple occassions, Lula has expressed his desire to run for president in 2018. However, if Wednesday's decision is upheld in its next hearing, the former president would be barred from running for office.

The Workers' Party tweeted their "firm indignation" at Lula's sentence, describing the convicted president and party member as "an icon of out national history."

A divisive decision

The case divided the Brazilian public, with some hailing Moro as an anti-corruption crusader and others maintaing steadfast loyalty to Lula and his political legacy of fighting for workers' rights and the reduction of inequality.

In his decision, Moro wrote that, "The present conviction does not bring this judge any personal satisfaction. Quite the contrary, it is regrettable that a former president be criminally convicted."

"It doesn't matter how high you are, the law is still above you," Moro added.

Lula had accused the judiciary of engaging in a witchhunt against him.

Read more: Brazil's judiciary hunts corrupt politicians

An anti-corruption protester holds up a sign stating, "We are all Sergio Moro. Justice for Brazil."

Politicians under fire

Lula is one of the most prominent Brazilian politicians among the 179 individuals who faced charges in operation "Car Wash" (Lava Jato), an extensive corruption probe that uncovered widespread bribery among Brazil's elites. The investigation revealed that politicians received billions in kickbacks from construction firms, including Odebrecht, whose employees confessed to making the payments.

Current President Michel Temer is the newest high-ranking politician to become engulfed in the Car Wash scandal. Last month, federal police stated they had proof of the office-holder's "passive corruption."

Former presidents Henrique Cardoso and Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached in relation to the Petrobras scandal, remain under investigation. In the aftermath of Rousseff's downfall, Lula had reemerged as the leading figure in the Workers' Party and the likely candidate to take the party forward.

Lula still faces various other judicial proceedings.

Fallen leaders Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil Lula has been found guilty of corruption and money laundering for his involvement in the "Car Wash" scandal, an extensive corruption probe that uncovered widespread bribery among Brazil's elites. Lula, who held the presidential office between 2003 and 2010, was sentenced to 12 years in jail. He still has a chance to appeal the ruling.

Fallen leaders Cristina Fernandez, Argentina Cristina Fernandez, who served as Argentina's first lady and then as its president from 2007 to 2015, was indicted on corruption charges in 2016. She was accused of granting public construction contracts to favored companies. She denies any wrongdoing. Fernandez is now seeking a political comeback, which some observers say is a bid to seek immunity against the charges.

Fallen leaders Park Geun-hye, South Korea Following months of public outcry over a wave of corruption allegations, South Korea's first female president Park Geun-hye was removed from office. She has been charged with extortion, bribery and abuse of power. Park was impeached in December 2016.

Fallen leaders Ehud Olmert, Israel The 71-year-old Olmert, who was premier between 2006 and 2009, was convicted of corruption in 2014. He entered prison in February 2016 but was was released in early July 2017 after his sentence was shortened. He was the first former prime minister of Israel to go to prison. Benjamin Netanyahu was his successor.

Fallen leaders Adrian Nastase, Romania Adrian Nastase was convicted of corruption charges in 2012 and sentenced to a two-year imprisonment term. At the time when the sentence was pronounced, he was the only head of government sentenced to prison in the 23 years following the Romanian Revolution. He was Romania's prime minister from 2004-2006.

Fallen leaders Charles G. Taylor, Liberia Charles G. Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 2012 for his role in atrocities committed in Sierra Leone during its civil war in the 1990s. Taylor was the first former head of state convicted by an international tribunal since the Nuremberg trials in Germany after World War II. He was Liberia's president from 1997-2003. Author: Rey Azizi



cmb/msh (AP, dpa, EFE)