Christopher Pisapia, a Frenchman convicted to 20 years in jail for drug trafficking in the Dominican Republic has appeared before a National District appeal court and told the judges what his life has been like since he was arrested along with the two French pilots who fled the country.
Pisapia, who is out on bail awaiting his appeal, has asked the Appeal Court to annul his sentence saying that he is innocent and that the proof against him was fabricated.
Pisapia said that he has been living through hell since he was arrested at Punta Cana airport on 19 March 2013 when he was about to leave as a passenger on the Falcon jet flown by pilots Pascal Jean Fauret and Bruno Odos, who are both fugitives from Dominican justice.
He said that he was hit, thrown on the floor, kicked, two ribs were broken, and he was filmed and photographed as if he was in a movie. He said several hours later his luggage appeared and for the next 15 days he stayed in what he thought was a cave as it was dark, dirty, with no bathroom and he was not allowed access to a lawyer. Later he discovered he was at the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) headquarters and was subsequently taken to a cell. He said he had lost everything that he had in his possession.
Pisapia, Fauret and Odos were accused of planning to smuggle more than 700 kilograms of cocaine hidden in 28 suitcases on board the plane that was headed for St. Tropez in the south of France.
However, Pisapia maintains his innocence saying he has not run away from the legal process as he believes in Dominican justice, which will protect the legitimate rights of individuals, as stated by Juan Pablo Duarte.
