Judge Miriam Germán Brito has described as “a dirty trick” her questioning by Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez, during the interview for the evaluation of Supreme Court of Justice judges on Monday, 4 March 2019. She seeks five more years at the Supreme Court of Justice.
Being interviewed by journalist Katherine Díaz, for Noticias SIN on Tuesday, 5 March 2019, Germán Brito asserted that the Attorney General wanted to damage her image. She spoke of how those in power are capable of all types of abuse.
The media has reported that the performance assessment began not with legitimate questions but when the Attorney General read three communications, two supposedly sent to his office anonymously and one by Judge José Gregorio Bautista of Santo Domingo province. The anonymous communications accused Judge Germán Brito of holding secret meetings with Víctor Díaz Rúa, one of the accused in the Odebrecht case and allegedly having properties she owned transferred to her son so as not to have to disclose her ownership of them. The Attorney General said videos were provided to support the allegations of irregularities in the judge’s actions.
Legal specialists have claimed the Attorney General violated the performance assessment ruling of the National Council of the Magistracy. Lawyers Miguel Valerio and Carlos Salcedo told Diario Libre that the violation of Art. 26 of the ruling, should annul the assessment and revert to the confirmation of the judge who serves as president of the Second Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. Likewise, lawyer Nassef Perdomo says that the CNM norms do not contemplate what to do in case of the violation of the due process and thus the case must be deliberated by the CNM members. He was also critical of the participation of Attorney General Rodríguez during the assessment.
The National Council Magistracy ruling had obliged the Attorney General to previously submit the accusations to the judge with 24 hours in order for her to prepare to respond to these in the public hearing.
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Diario Libre
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El Caribe
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El Dia
6 March 2019