A Dominican court has acquitted Venezuelan Karla María Moya Boada of charges of illegally practicing medicine in the country. The First Collegiate Court of the National District ruled in favor of Moya Boada, indicating that the prosecutors did not provide sufficient evidence to support a conviction, as reported in N Digital.
The three-judge panel, presided over by Gissell Méndez, Tania Yunes, and Jissell Naranjo, concluded that Moya Boada is a medical graduate from Venezuela, accepting evidence of a certification presented to the court.
Francisco Crisóstomo, the defendant’s attorney, explained that the court’s decision was based on the insufficiency of the accusations brought forth by both the Ministry of Public Health and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. “The accusation was insufficient and was not proven; therefore, the case was dismissed, and the defendant was acquitted,” Crisóstomo stated.
Investigation by Nuria Piera
The case first came to light in an investigative report by journalist Nuria Piera. In her program, “N Investiga,” Piera revealed that Moya Boada had been operating without a business license, was not registered with the Tax Agency (DGII), and was not a member of the Dominican Medical Association. Additionally, she did not possess the required government authorization to practice medicine in the Dominican Republic.
When confronted by Piera, Moya Boada claimed to have studied medicine in Venezuela and stated that her degree was on file with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MESCYT). However, an investigation by the MESCYT revealed that the documents submitted by Moya Boada contained numerous irregularities, including photocopies instead of original certificates and an illegible logo for the Venezuelan Ministry of Higher Education.
Prosecutors immediately announced their intention to appeal the court’s decision, expressing dissatisfaction with the verdict.
In early June 2023, the Ministry of Public Health had referred the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for an extensive investigation into Moya Boada’s alleged illegal practice as a so-called “aesthetic doctor.”
Additionally, inspectors from the Health Public Qualification Directorate closed down the “Ki Centro Médico Integral del Caribe” for violations of the General Health Law 42-01.
Authorities took action following an investigative report by journalist Nuria Piera, which revealed that Moya Boada was not authorized to perform aesthetic surgery.
Moya Boada was initially detained by the Migration Agency when she attempted to leave the country through Punta Cana International Airport, following with a judicial order for her arrest.
Despite these findings, the court ultimately ruled in favor of the defendant, citing a lack of conclusive evidence.
Read more in Spanish:
N Digital
DR1 News
DR1 News
15 August 2024