After more than 20 days since the arrest of 13, the arraignment of 12 of 13 accused in the Coral 5G Case, the second part of the Coral corruption case, began in a Santo Domingo instruction court. Judge Kenya Romero is hearing the accusations and the arguments of the defense through Friday, 10 December 2021.
In the Coral and Coral 5G cases, several high-ranking officers are investigated for acts of corruption, including the former presidential security corps director, Major General Adan Cáceres and the former director of the Specialized Tourism Security Corps, Air Force General Juan Carlos Torres Robiou. This is unprecedented in the Dominican Republic.
The 13 in the Coral 5G case are accused of asset laundering, criminal association, document forgery, privatization, coalition of officials and illicit enrichment.
Preventive custody requests are being heard for generals Juan Carlos Torres Robiou and Boanerges Reyes Batista. Also, Captain Franklin Antonio Mata Flores, paratrooper Colonel Carlos Augusto Lantigua Cruz, pilot Colonel Yehudy Blandesmil Guzmán Alcántara, Lieutenant Colonel Erasmo Roger Pérez Núñez, Lieutenant Colonel Kelman Santana Martínez, Major José Manuel Rosario Pirón. Also, for the accused César Félix Ramos Ovalle, Miguel Ventura Pichardo, Jehohanan Lucía Rodríguez Jiménez and Esmeralda Ortega Polanco.
The case hearing was delayed when assigned judge Kenya Romero was recused for the second time by the defense of accused General Julio Camilo de los Santos Viola. His case will be heard separately. General de los Santos Viola is the former deputy security chief of former President Danilo Medina. His former boss, Major General Adan Cáceres is already serving preventive custody in the Najayo Jail on charges of corruption in office.
Wilson Camacho, head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office (Pepca) and Adjunct Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso have said new arrests will soon be made as the investigations continue using the findings of the audits carried out by the Chamber of Accounts now under new authorities.
The prosecutors are simultaneously carrying several other corruption cases, many involving the brothers and sisters of former President Danilo Medina and high-ranking officers in his governments (2012-2016, 2016-2020).
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Noticias SIN
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
N Digital
9 December 2021