The trial against two brothers of former president Danilo Medina and 46 other defendants in the Anti-Pulpo corruption case continues. During the hearing on Monday, 24 June 2024, judges of the Second Collegiate Court of the National District heard testimony from José Rijo Presbot, the current director of the National Budget. Rijo Presbot was the first witness for the prosecution in the trial against Alexis Medina, the main defendant, his sister Magalys Medina, and other defendants in the Anti-Pulpo case, as reported in El Caribe.
Rijo Presbot reported that then Minister of Hacienda Donald Guerrero authorized payments to state contractors in violation of procedures for debt payment.
Rijo Presbot, in his capacity as a witness for the prosecution, stated that from 31 July to 14 August 2020, RD$20.9 billion were irregularly paid to 80 contractors. At the time, the country was under strict curfews for the Covid-19 pandemic.
The official explained that the payments violated laws and norms, including the Organic Budget Law, the National Treasury Law, the Public Credit Law, the Government Accounting Law, the Public Inversion Law, the Procurement Law and the 2020 National Budget Law and other rulings relative to government spending.
Among the companies mentioned by the director of the National Budget are some owned by Alexis Medina, brother of the former President of the Republic Danilo Medina.
Alexis Medina is accused by the prosecution of creating a corporate network and, through influence peddling, as the brother of former President Danilo Medina Sánchez (periods 2012-2016 and 2016-2020), carried out a set of fraudulent maneuvers, in association with public officials.
The file indicates that Alexis Medina obtained assets through the multiple criminal acts materialized through a criminal association.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
N Digital
25 June 2024