Judge Awilda Reyes Beltre ordered the immediate release of Pedro Brand alderman Eriknson de los Santos Solis (Ney) who was accused by prosecutors of being the alleged head of a contract murder group to which at least five deaths are attributed.
The judge accepted the habeas corpus motion presented by the lawyers of De los Santos. The alderman was arrested on 4 February 2015, and accused of being the head of the gang that served organized crime, extortion, kidnapping, invasion of property and contract killing of public transport workers.
De los Santos has proclaimed his innocence and says he is a victim of political prosecution to derail his candidacy for deputy. He cites that his party, the PRD, has 80% of the voter’s preference in Pedro Brand. Defense lawyer Plutarco Jaquez successfully argued that continued detention of de los Santos was unjust since he had spent nine months in jail and his preventive custody had not been reviewed every three months as established by law.
National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso says she will appeal the ruling.
Reynoso observed that this is the same judge that weeks ago ordered the return of US$20 million to the company of convicted drug trafficker Arturo del Tiempo, as well as the return of the seized airplane in the case of the collapsed Banco Peravia.
Read more in Spanish: http://www.7dias.com.do/portada/2015/10/30/i199550_jueza-awilda-reyes-dispone-libertad-regidor-los-santos-ney.html#.VjUCyEvxj7I