In a controversial decision, a Dominican court has granted bail to three high-profile figures implicated in an extensive corruption network uncovered named Operation Camaleón by state prosecuters. Hugo Beras, former director of the National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (Intrant), Jochi Gómez and Pedro Padovani of Transcore Latam have been released from pre-trial detention.
The decision, which included a dissenting vote from one of the judges, has sparked outrage among the public and anti-corruption advocates, N Digital reports. The accused individuals, along with several others, are facing a slew of serious charges, including embezzlement, fraud against the state, forgery, collusion of officials, smuggling, illicit trafficking, sabotage, terrorism against critical infrastructure, and identity theft.
These crimes are explicitly prohibited under Article 146, numeral 1 of the Dominican Republic’s Constitution, which outlaws corruption. Furthermore, the Dominican Penal Code and several specialized laws, such as those addressing high-tech crimes, illicit trade, money laundering, and terrorism, provide the legal framework for prosecuting these offenses.
During Operation Camaleón, authorities executed numerous search warrants on residences and businesses across the country, seizing hundreds of pieces of evidence that corroborated the prosecution’s allegations. The operation, involving over 170 law enforcement officers and specialized prosecutors, has been hailed by the Attorney General’s Office as one of its most successful against organized crime.
Prosecutors presented compelling evidence, including a fraudulent contract for the modernization of the Santo Domingo traffic light system, an illegal agreement with the Ministry of Defense and the company Aurix to usurp the functions of intelligence and security agencies, and evidence of sabotage against the traffic light network.
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N Digital
Noticias SIN
12 November 2024