Attorney General Jean-Alain Rodríguez heard explanations related to the Odebrecht corruption case yesterday, 17 January 2017 from Manuel de Jesus Perez (Freddy), a former M
inister for Public Works (2004-2007) during the years of the President Leonel Fernández government, and from Juan Roberto Rodríguez, the former director of the Santo Domingo Water Works (CAASD) in 1997, and of the National Institute of Potable Water and Sewage (INAPA) in 1998.
Called to a meeting at the Attorney General’s office, Perez said he was there at the request of Attorney General Jean-Alain Rodríguez, but had had nothing to do with the matter at hand. However, he accused the government, from 2000-2004, of having approved a contract with Odebrecht for an amount greater than that signed by Inapa and urged former director Juan Roberto Rodriguez to explain the matter.
He said the PLD administration under former President Leonel Fernández used the same contract that he had signed with Andrades and Gutierrez in 2001 or 2002 and the PRD, including the dissident groups now known as the PRM, used it ten or 12 years later, apparently without reviewing any of the contract language or revising the budget that he had originally signed.
Rodríguez denied having signed a contract with Odebrecht.
Meanwhile, El Dia reports that the time for taking Hipólito Mejía government officers to trial for corruption in the Odebrecht case has expired. Lawyer Laura Acosta told El Día that, nevertheless, the government officers could still be tried for consequences of the corruption, such as asset laundering.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Dia
18 January 2017
