The Fourth Collegiate Court of the National District sentenced 57-year old Fausto Miguel Cruz de la Mota (Carandai) to 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence in the Dominican Republic. He was found guilty of the shooting of the late Environment Minister Orlando Jorge Mera at the Ministry of Environment. Cruz de la Mota had confessed to the killing.
Judges Keila Pérez Santana, Elías Santini Pereira and Arisleida Méndez Batista sentenced Cruz de la Mota to serve the sentence in the Najayo prison.
At the hearing, prosecutors established that Cruz de la Mota planned the murder of the minister, allegedly because the latter was opposed to granting him permits to export 5,000 tons of used batteries through the company Aurum Gavia, S.A, that did not meet the requirements.
The prosecutors accused Cruz de la Mota of premeditated murder and illegal carrying of firearms. The prosecutors proved that Cruz de la Mota had fired 13 shots at short distance to Jorge Mera. Cruz de la Mota’s defense argued that he fired in self defense, and that Jorge Mera was armed. This was proven wrong in court.
The murder occurred on 6 June 2022. At the time, Cruz de la Mota, a long-time friend of the minister, were alone in the office of the Minister at the government building, located on Luperon Avenue, in the National District.
Jorge Mera’s son, ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) deputy for Santo Domingo, Orlando Jorge Villegas spoke after the trial rendition and committed to act following the example and legacy of his father.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
El Caribe
Diario Libre
El Dia
El Caribe
27 April 2023