Authorities in Peru have confirmed that the country’s former President Alan Garcia has died after shooting himself at his home.
According to BBC News, Garcia passed away in hospital in the country’s capital Lima, despite the best efforts of medical staff.
It is reported that Mr Garcia who was under investigation following claims of bribery, shot himself in the head after police arrived at his home on Wednesday.
Garcia who served as the country’s president from 1985 to 1990 and then again from 2006 to 2011, was the subject of a corruption investigation after it was alleged that he took bribes from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
However Garcia repeatedly denied the claims throughout the lengthy investigation process.
Reports in Peru say Garcia, shot himself after he made a request to arresting officers to make a private phone call before he was taken into custody.
It is believed that officers who were waiting outside the door of a room Mr Garcia went into, heard a gunshot within minutes of him making the request.
It is understood that officers who rushed into the room immediately after the gunshot found Garcia lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head.
Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Mr Garcia was declared dead a short time later.
Meanwhile Peru’s current President MartÃn Vizcarra has since confirmed that Garcia has died.