The Seventh Court of Instruction of the National District judge, Deiby Timoteo Peguero, rejected a bid for domiciliary arrest made by the brother of former President Danilo Medina Sánchez, Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez. Medina Sánchez is serving 18 months preventive detention as prosecutors prepare the trial. The prosecution accuses Alexis Medina of heading a major corruption network, taking advantage of his relationship with then President Medina Sánchez.
During the hearing, Juan Alexis Medina complained of the conditions in the jail. He said he has gone from size 36 to size 30 in the jail. Medina insists he is in jail for political reasons.
Prosecutors of the Anti-Administrative Corruption Agency (PEPCA) have prepared a case with more than 2,000 pieces of evidence and 100,000 documents. The investigation looks into the alleged embezzlement of RD$6 billion.
The Attorney General has authorized those accused in the Anti-Pulpo Case to have the privilege of access to the accusatory documents in computers set up for this purpose at the Najayo Jail in San Cristobal.
There are 27 persons and 21 companies accused of government corruption and asset laundering in the Anti-Pulpo Case. In addition to Juan Alexis Medina, others are Fernando Rosa, who directed the governmental Fondo Patrimonial de las Empresas Reformadas (Fonper); Wacal Bernabé Méndez Pineda and José Dolores Santana Carmona, who also are in jail in Najayo.
Also accused in the case is the sister of former President Medina, Carmen Magalys Medina Sánchez, who was vice president of Fonper. She is under house arrest. Also under house arrest in the case are Francisco Pagán Rodríguez, former director of the Supervisory Office of Public Works (Oisoe), and Aquiles Alejandro Christopher, controls director at the Oisoe, among others.
The preliminary hearing of the case is set for 4 April 2022, with subsequent dates set for 11, 18, 25 April, 2, 16, 23 and 30 May.
Somos Pueblo news commentator, Eduardo Sanchez Tolentino (El Piro) says Juan Alexis Medina looks better and suggests that hecreate a YouTube blog to share fitness techniques he has used when in jail.
Follow the story:
23 February 2022