The presiding judge of the Third Court of Instruction of the National District, Amauri Martinez ordered hearings of accused and witnesses in the RD$500 million National Lottery fraud case (Operacion 13) to start.
The judge said the evidence presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the accused and accomplices is sufficient to open the trial. The case is known as Operation 13 because 13 was the number called in the millionaire fraud detected on 1 May 2021.
Accused in the case are former director of the National Lottery Luis Maisichell Dicent Dicent, William Lisandro Rosario Ortiz and Eladio Batista Valerio, who are under preventive custody; Carlos Beriguete, Valentina Rosario, Jonathan Brea and Felipe Santiago Toribio, under house arrest; and Edison Manuel Perdomo Peralta, released on bail. Leonidas Medina Arvelo (Nazaret) is named a fugitive of justice in this case.
State prosecutors were assisted by the Public Patrimony Recovery Team (ERPP), a team of lawyers (Manuel Conde Cabrera together with Edison Joel Peña and Carlos Moisés Almonte) hired by the Abinader administration.
Defense lawyers complained about the unfairness of the prosecution. The defense said that being sent to trial does not mean the person is guilty. Defense lawyer Albert Delgado and José Antonio Bernechea say their client is a victim of politics. They complain their client is the only prisoner that belongs to the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). “He is the lamb of God to erase the sins of this government,” they say.
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27 July 2022