The Chamber of Accounts, the government body that audits government entities, has published online findings of a recent audit that show major irregularities in business deals with the past government by the brother of former President Danilo Medina Sanchez, Alexis Medina Sanchez.
The audits will be used in the prosecuting of Alexis Medina Sanchez. Alexis Medina Sanchez is in preventive custody in Najayo Jail accused of irregularities in contracting with the state (Operacion Anti-Pulpo). Alexis Medina Sánchez has been dubbed El Pulpo (the octopus) in the case.
The Chamber of Accounts report establishes that the National Police purchased RD$220.7 million worth of fuel from from a company tied to Alexis Medina Sánchez when Major General Nelson Peguero was the director of the Police (2015-2017).
The Chamber of Accounts indicates that Fuel America Inc. Dominicana, that it says is owned by Alexis Medina Sánchez, sold the fuel to the Police when the company did not have the required Ministry of Industry & Commerce authorization to transport and commercialize fuel.
Fuel America was represented by its manager Julian Esteban Suriel Suazo, although one of the main shareholders is Alexis Medina Sanchez, the report states.
Julian Esteban Suriel Suazo is accused in the “Anti-Pulpo” corruption case of being a frontman for Alexis Medina Sanchez.
Fuel America was incorporated on 18 July 2013, with registered office at Abraham Lincoln Avenue, Torre Sonora, Suite 403, in the National District, and had as founding partners Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez, César Ezequiel Féliz Cordero and José Dolores Santana Carmona.
Then, on March 25, 2015, the shares were transferred to Suriel Suazo and there was a change in its registered office to 27 de Febrero Avenue # 328, to the RS Building, Bella Vista sector.
The same Chamber of Accounts report indicates that “the payments in the period 2015-2017 to the company Fuel America Inc. Dominicana for RD$220,739,721 do not contain receipt documents where the name of the supplier, quantity and type of fuel, driver, truck, license plate, driving number, time, among other important information are indicated.
The purchase orders do not indicate the date on which they were made, the amount of gallons purchased, prices and details of the place where it is supplied.
The Chamber of Accounts also refers to the lack of controls in the delivery of fuels allocated to the Police, pointing out cases of several people receiving fuel with the same driver, the absence of documentation, among other irregularities.
The Chamber of Accounts auditors say that the main officers of the National Police entity, acting in the performance of their duties, did not observe the constitutional, legal, regulatory and normative dispositions of obligatory compliance for the administrators of public resources, indications that could compromise the criminal responsibility of the officers.
The auditors’ report explains that the daily fuel balance reports lack basic information that would allow control. In addition, they do not have the signature of the personnel responsible for the fuel in deposit and order, nor do they show changes of shifts.
Furthermore, the auditors say the Police purchased four types of fuel when having storage capacity for only two types of fuel. The investigation determined that the National Police acquired regular and premium gasoline, as well as regular and premium diesel. However, the police stations only have two tanks, one for regular gasoline and the other for regular diesel. “So there is evidence of the mixing of two different products and the impact of the difference in the prices paid,” states the audit.
The audit also indicates that there is no paid stamp on the payment documents.
This is the second audit released by the Chamber of Accounts now under new authorities on the dealings of Alexis Medina Sanchez.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
DR1 News
30 November 2021