Lima Court Upholds 35- and 32-Year Terms in Nicolini Fire Labor‑Slavery Case

Overview

• The Superior Court of Lima confirmed prison sentences for Jonny Coico (35 years) and Vilma Zeña (32 years) for human trafficking with the purpose of labor slavery.
• Investigators found young workers were locked in a metal container for long hours without food, ventilation or sanitation, conditions linked to two deaths in the 2017 Galería Nicolini fire.
• Prosecutors said the scheme used captive labor to erase brands on cheap light bulbs and relabel them to generate illicit profits.
• The judgment includes a ban on contracting with the State for the duration of the sentences and orders civil reparations of S/20,000 to survivors and S/479,000 and S/459,000 to the victims’ heirs.
• Coico is imprisoned at Miguel Castro Castro, while Zeña remains a fugitive listed in the Interior Ministry reward program.