The former mayor of Las Terrenas, Jose Mercedes Martinez Emiterio, accused of fraud estimated at more than RD$14 million, chained himself to the railings in front of the Palace of Justice in San Francisco de Macoris yesterday, Monday 12 January 2015. He claimed that his human rights were being abused and threatened to kill himself rather than appear in front of Judge Claudio Anibal Medrano, president of the Appeals Court today, Tuesday 13 January 2015.
Medrano sentenced Martinez to 10 months under house arrest and issued an exit ban, after the former Mayor was fired from his post and replaced by his deputy, Mariana Vanderhorst.
Martinez arrived at the Palace of Justice together with a group of supporters, including former employees from his term in office, and chained himself to the railings.
He said that his house arrest was unjust and if the judge wanted him to appear before him he would be dealing with a corpse. He said that the judge was a friend of the deputy mayor and that is why he had been dealt with so harshly.