Three foreign women inmates in Najayo are bitter about allegedly having paid a large sum of money to be pardoned by former Attorney General Victor Cespedes, whose office set an all time record in jail pardonings. The new director of prisons forwarded this testimony to District Attorney Jose Manuel Hernandez, together with that of several Dominicans who claimed they were also the victims of a fraudulent pardons scam. The new government is investigating the list of 500 individuals who were to be pardoned on 16 August, as well as those who were released on 27 February.
The group of 500 inmates, who expected to be released on 16 August ? the last day of the Mejia administration ? were ultimately not given their pardons. Then-President Mejia rescinded the exonerations, saying he did not want to add another scandal to his administration’s legacy.