It took almost a year, but I'm happy to inform all that the Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of Santiago, in its Decision No. 1240/2008-CPP dated October 31, 2008, voided in its entirety the Sentence dictated by Magistrate Judge Rosa Francia Liriano, of the Penal Chamber of the First Circuit Court of the Judicial District of Puerto Plata, on the 21st of December, 2007, by means of which Jesus S. Garcia Tallaj and/or GARCIA TALLAJ & ASOCIADOS, S.A. were found guilty of violating Art. 408 of the Penal code (which sanctions the breach of trust) against Helmut Maurerbauer, condemning them to 1 year of prison, the reimbursement of the sum of US$350,000 and the payment of an indemnity in the amount of RD$5,000,000. In justification of its decision, the Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of Santiago accepted the motives of the appellants Jesus S. Garcia Tallaj and GARCIA TALLAJ & ASOCIADOS, S.A. in the sense that the first circuit court did not establish the criminal intent of the suspect.
God's justice prevail!