The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested on Monday night, 30 November 2020, the preventive detention of ten former government officials, privileged state suppliers and alleged front men who were arrested on the weekend and are accused of taking advantage of their ties with the upper echelons of political power to accumulate millionaire fortunes.
Prosecutors of the Specialized Prosecutor for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca), deposited the request for preventive custody with the Judicial Office of Permanent Attention Services of the National District.
As part of the so-called Operation Anti-Pulpo (Operation Anti-Octopus), Pepca had arrested on Sunday, 29 November, Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez and Carmen Magalys Medina Sánchez, brother and sister of former President Danilo Medina. Also arrested are Francisco Pagán Rodríguez, Lorenzo Wilfredo Hidalgo Núñez, Rafael Antonio Germosén Andujar, Fernando A. Rosa Rosa, Aquiles Alejandro Christopher Sánchez, Domingo Antonio Santiago Muñoz, Julián Esteban Suriel Suazo and José Dolores Santana Carmona.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez of leading a criminal network, taking advantage of his condition as brother of the then President Danilo Medina Sánchez, who served two constitutional terms between 2012 and 2020.
Pepca says that through influence peddling and violations of multiple laws, the accused created a corporate network that allowed them to benefit from taxpayer funds. The Pepca says that the system received billions of pesos in payment from the different government agencies, through illegal operations in which individuals and corporations were used as fronts.
The agency also requests the temporary closure of the corporations Domedical Supply SRL, Suim Suplidores Institucionales Méndez SRL, General Medical Solution A.M. SRL, United Suppliers Corporations SRL, Kyanred Supply SRL, General Supply Corporations, Wattmax Dominicana SRL and Fuel American Inc. Dominicana SRL.
The accused are now in prison at the Palacio de Justicia jail in Ciudad Nueva.
In defense of his client, Alexis Medina defense lawyer Carlos Salcedo said on the La Cuestión radio talk show on Super7FM that Alexis Medina was not in violation of the law because the sales were not personal, but rather through 19 companies. He argued that Medina was a vendor to the government before the start of the Medina administration. Likewise, Salcedo said that then President Danilo Medina was not aware of the contracting of his brother with the state.
The request for preventive custody is signed by Wilson Manuel Camacho Peralta, head of Pepca. Pepca has previously explained the arrests were carried out because the agency was concerned that several of the accused were destroying and hiding evidence, intimidating witnesses and making financial movements aimed at hiding unjustified financial movements.
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Attorney General Office
Acento
1 December 2020