Appeals court judge Antonio Sanchez Mejia has ordered house arrest for suspended judge Awilda Reyes Beltre and resigning judge Francisco Arias Valera, formerly of the Judicial Branch Council. They had originally been sent to pretrial custody in Najayo jail. Their lawyers presented proof that they had sufficient cause to prevent them from missing court appearances. The judge also removed the charges of asset laundering and violation of Law 72-02 on asset laundering from the case. The prosecution service has accused them of belonging to a criminal network. Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito, who presented the charges of the judges being part of a criminal network, now says he will appeal.
In another development in the judges criminal network case, lawyers for the relatives of the Pedro Brand city councilor’s victims are saying that judge Francisco Arias Valera, now under house arrest for investigation after he was accused of belonging to a criminal network in the judiciary, had hidden RD$10 million in cash at his house. The judge is accused of allowing the release of the politician who was accused of contract killing of transporters in defense of another transport union’s operations, as reported in Acento.
Lawyer Manuel Soto Lara, speaking for the relatives of the victims, says that the authorities have not wanted to go public with the information of the arrest of the security policeman who is accused of stealing RD$10 million from Arias Valera’s house.
Soto Lara said that the Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito reported the arrest of the Police agent, but nevertheless removed the charges of asset laundering that had been placed against Arias Valera.
“How can Arias Valera justify having RD$10 million in cash in his house?” asked Soto Lara when stating there is a conspiracy to hide the crimes that not only Arias Valera and Reyes Beltre committed.
The lawyer says that the judge cannot justify having RD$10 million in cash or how he can afford the wealth he displays.
“How can anyone say there is no complicity when this event is being kept secret. This is conspiracy because this is a case when justice is judging itself,” said lawyer Soto Lara.
Soto Lara represents several victims allegedly murdered on the orders of Pedro Brand city councilor Ericson de los Santos Solis. He reiterated that some evidence was being withheld by the judiciary.
The Attorney General accused Reyes Beltre of receiving RD$350,000 in return for issuing a habeas corpus to favor Ericson de los Santos on the direct orders of Arias Valera who was reportedly following orders from former Attorney General Radhames Jimenez Pena. The judiciary removed Jimenez Pena from the case.
http://acento.com.do/2016/actualidad/8320796-abogados-victimas-regidor-dice-arias-valera-tenia-rd10-millones-en-su-casa/
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2016/02/04/406548/dominguez-brito-apelara-decision-envia-a-prision-domiciliaria-a-awilda-reyes-y-arias-valera
