Juan Comprés (Guanchy), a local social activist in Moca, was released from all accusations after a Moca judge, Anderson Joel Cuevas, determined his rights had been violated. Comprés was accused of possession of 52 grams of cocaine. However, his defense team maintained that the drugs were planted on him either during or after his arrest. To complicate matters, Sinencio Elpidio Uribe Vilorio of the National Institute of Forensic Science (Inacif), examined the accused and found multiple bruising due to trauma.
Comprés insisted that the drugs were planted on him and accused the Minister of Interior and Police Carlos Amarante Baret, and the head of the police in Moca, Colonel Nelson Valenzuela Madera, of being ringleaders of a group against him and other heads of the Green March Movement that is preparing for a Azua Green March on 21 May 2017. A video has been circulating on social media that could be interpreted as evidence that the drugs had been planted on him.
Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez had ordered a high level prosecutor to visit Moca to widen the investigation into the recently arrested member of the “Los Peregrinos” of Moca, Juan Comprés, by Moca police. Via a press release, Rodriguez announced that he has also instructed the head prosecutor of Espaillat province, José Aníbal Carela, to ask for periodic appearances rather than jail time.
The central office of the National Police has now suspended those officers involved in the arrest of Comprés and has ordered the Police inspector, the Director of Internal Affairs and the Director of Intelligence Crimes to go to Moca and conduct a thorough investigation.
In Santo Domingo, a spokesperson for the Green March Movement said the case is part of a plot of the Medina administration to unstabilize the peaceful protests against corruption and impunity by instructing the Minister of Interior and Police to harass and detain key Green March leaders, such as Comprés.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
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Lo que sucede
9 May 2017
