The Permanent Attention Office of the National District ordered Fausto Miguel de Jesus Cruz de la Mota serve a year of preventive imprisonment at Najayo Jail. Cruz de la Mota is accused of the murder of late Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera. The murder took place on Monday, 6 June 2022 at the minister’s office. The measure was decided on Saturday, 11 June 2022.
National District Prosecutor Rosalba Ramos advanced that the Public Prosecutor’s Office considers the crime to be a violation of articles 295, 296, 297, 298 and 302 of the Dominican Penal Code, and 66 and 67 of Law 631-16, for the Control and Regulation of Weapons, Ammunition and Related Materials.
Cruz de la Mota is accused of carrying out the murder using a Taurus gun around noon on Monday, 6 June 2022. Afterwards, he fled the Ministry on foot, leaving his vehicle parked in the Ministry of Environment basement. Inside the Toyota Rush G, investigators found a Mini Uzi, caliber 9mm, and with two magazines with 30 capsules each. In addition, a briefcase with four magazines with capacity for 30 capsules, two of them full. Another of the magazines contained 11 9 mm caliber capsules. Inside the vehicle was a file of the company Aurum Gavia, S.N., among other documents, an envelope containing 90 RD$2,000 bills (RD$180,000) and a Cartier Roadster watch. Also two Dominican passports to his name.
Preliminary investigations tie the crime to the negation of late Minister Orlando Jorge Mera in signing environmental permits for companies Cruz de la Mota represented. Cruz de la Mota was a childhood friend of the late minister. Before committing the crime, Cruz de la Mota had complained that he had contributed to the political campaign and was not being helped in the cases he was interested in obtaining permits for at the Ministry.
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13 June 2022