The nonpartisan civic movement Participación Ciudadana released its second report from the Observatory of Administrative Corruption Cases on Monday, 16 September 2024 revealing that the preliminary hearing in the Medusa case had been postponed a staggering 94 times.
The case, which involves allegations of embezzlement against former Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez and others, has been a major focus of public scrutiny in the Dominican Republic. The defendants are accused of stealing more than RD$6 billion from the state.
According to the report, the primary reason for the numerous postponements was the decision to read the entire 12,274-page case file aloud in court. The reading along took nearly six months and resulted in 45 postponements. The Criminal Procedure Code only mandates the reading of portions related to the facts and legal classification, amounting to just 1,300 pages, which could have been completed in a month.
Participación Ciudadana also highlighted the continued use of judge recusals to delay proceedings. In the Medusa case, not only was the judge recused but also all judges of the court that were to decide on the recusal.
The first hearing in the intermediate phase of the Medusa case was held on 12 August 2022 and was postponed to allow the defendants to access the accusation and evidence in digital format. Subsequent hearings were repeatedly delayed due to various reasons, including requests for extensions to prepare defenses and health issues among the defendants.
The actual trial is set to begin on 23 September 2024 before the Fourth Collegiate Court of the National District.
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Diario Libre
17 September 2024