The Attorney General Office has asked the president of the Supreme Court of Justice Mariano German Mejia to issue measures to freeze assets and impose a ban on the sale of property, a Gulfstream jet, 14 radio stations and frequencies, as well as 11 companies that belong to senator Felix Bautista and his business network, as reported in Hoy newspaper.
The Attorney General has requested preventive custody and the appointment of a special judge to prepare the preliminary hearing.
On Wednesday, 5 November 2014, Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito said that Bautista and six of his associates were accused of laundering assets and illicit enrichment during his term as director of the Office of Supervisory Works of the Presidency (OISOE) and this makes it urgent and pressing for the request to be heard by the Supreme Court so that the funds and assets can continue to be restrained and placed under the management of the courts as the judicial process is heard.
Dominguez Brito expressed his concern that the presidency of the Supreme Court of Justice has not issued an opinion despite the severity of the accusations against senator Felix Bautista.
The request for action was made on 27 October 2014, says Dominguez Brito. On 22 October 2014 a formal accusation was made against Bautista and his associates, named as Soraida Antonia Abreu Martinez, Jose Elias Hernandez Garcia, Bolivar Antonio Ventura Rodriguez, Carlos Manuel Ozoria Martinez, Gricel Aracelis Soler Pimentel and Bienvenido Apolinar Breton Medina.
The Attorney General Office has documented that Bautista is a major stakeholder in the holdings of the companies Constructora Rofi, S.R.L, Inmobiliaria Rofi S.R.L, Fesory Decoraciones, Construcciones y Disenos, R.M.N., Disenos y Presupuestos de Edificaciones y Carreteras con Alta Tecnologia, Constructora Imperial, Ozoria & Asociados, Comunicaciones Colorin and Hormigones del Caribe. The Attorney General Office case has documented that these companies opened, purchased or maintain bank accounts and deposits using funds illicitly obtained to the detriment of the Dominican state.
In the 412-page case, Bautista is accused of violating articles 114, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150, 151, 166, 167, 171, 172 and 175 of the Dominican Penal Code on forgery of private documents, embezzlement and of acts that are incompatible with his past role as a government official.
He is also accused of violating Law 82-79 on declaration of assets, Law 41-08 on government posts, Law 72-02 on asset laundering from illicit trafficking in drugs.
He is also accused of violating the Constitution, and of violating Arts. 18, 19, and 20 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
The individuals identified as his associates are accused of violating articles 59, 60, 145, 146, 147, 148, 167, 171, 172 and 175 of the Dominican Penal Code for complicity and articles 3, 4, 18, 21 and 26 of Law 72-02 on Assets Laundering of funds from illicit trafficking in drugs.
Dominican law requires cases against legislators to be heard by the Supreme Court of Justice.
Bautista is regarded as one of the closest associates of former President Leonel Fernandez. A major campaign has already begun to promote Fernandez as the PLD candidate for the 2016 presidential election.
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2014/11/07/i871811_procuradura-hace-dos-solicitudes-suprema-corte-justicia-contra-flix-bautista.html