Lawyers of Retired Major General Rafael Peña Antonio petitioned that Judge Raquel Astacio Mercedes be recused from hearing the bribes case regarding the sale of Super Tucano Embraer Brazilian aircraft to the Dominican Air Force. The lawyers say that the case should be heard by a judge of the same rank as Judge Yanibet Rivas who was leading the process. They criticized that Judge Astacio is a justice of peace.
The hearings are now recessed until a decision is reached on who should continue the case. The next date is set for 26 November 2018.
In the case of the Tucanos bribes, the accused are Air Force colonel Carlos Piccini, and businessmen Daniel Aquino Hernández, Daniel Aquino Méndez, Ysrael Abreu Rosario, and the notary Felix del Orbe Berroa.
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Diario Libre
6 November 2018
