NewsWhore
08-31-2007, 02:30 PM
In the continuation of the state prosecutors' closing arguments in the case against Baninter executives and advisors, Judges Antonio Sanchez Mejia, Pilar Rufino and Esmirna Giselle Mendez heard lawyers Lorenzo Fermin and Ramon Pina Acevedo, who represented the state monetary and financial authorities and rejected conclusions presented by prosecutors yesterday calling for 20- and 6-year sentences and fines of RD$2.5, RD$1.5 and RD$1 million in the Baninter bank collapse case.
Yesterday, Lorenzo Fermin spoke of the magnitude of banker Ramon Baez Figueroa's involvement in the Baninter fraud, highlighting evidence that RD$1.77 billion was removed from Baninter accounts for personal purchases. "He spent US$57 million (RD$1.45 billion) on his yacht Patricia alone. So much opulence with public funds," said Fermin, as he showed photos of the yacht. Furthermore, he advocated that the Listin Diario newspaper should be considered as evidence of fraud. Prosecutors have removed the oldest Dominican daily from the case. Fermin says that more than RD$2 billion was spent on capitalization and improvements to the newspaper's infrastructure, a figure equal to Baninter's capital in 2002.
Lawyer Pina Acevedo began his presentation indicating that the verdict requested by the prosecutors yesterday did not match the magisterial nature of their closing words. He quoted Cuban jurist Jose Agustin Martinez: "When politics enters a court, justice jumps out the window." He explained that he said this "because this process has been surrounded by a series of matters that end in evidently unacceptable and illogical conclusions." He said that the lawyers who represent the state do not completely accept the conclusions presented by the prosecution expert on banking matters.
Local dailies report that assistant prosecutor and banking expert Daniel Miranda Villalona did not sign the document where the prosecutors asked for a RD$2.5-RD$1 million fines and 20-6 years jail for the principal accused. Miranda said he did not sign it because he had not been consulted on several points. Only prosecutor Francisco Garcia and Government Corruption Department director Octavio Lister have signed the document.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)
Yesterday, Lorenzo Fermin spoke of the magnitude of banker Ramon Baez Figueroa's involvement in the Baninter fraud, highlighting evidence that RD$1.77 billion was removed from Baninter accounts for personal purchases. "He spent US$57 million (RD$1.45 billion) on his yacht Patricia alone. So much opulence with public funds," said Fermin, as he showed photos of the yacht. Furthermore, he advocated that the Listin Diario newspaper should be considered as evidence of fraud. Prosecutors have removed the oldest Dominican daily from the case. Fermin says that more than RD$2 billion was spent on capitalization and improvements to the newspaper's infrastructure, a figure equal to Baninter's capital in 2002.
Lawyer Pina Acevedo began his presentation indicating that the verdict requested by the prosecutors yesterday did not match the magisterial nature of their closing words. He quoted Cuban jurist Jose Agustin Martinez: "When politics enters a court, justice jumps out the window." He explained that he said this "because this process has been surrounded by a series of matters that end in evidently unacceptable and illogical conclusions." He said that the lawyers who represent the state do not completely accept the conclusions presented by the prosecution expert on banking matters.
Local dailies report that assistant prosecutor and banking expert Daniel Miranda Villalona did not sign the document where the prosecutors asked for a RD$2.5-RD$1 million fines and 20-6 years jail for the principal accused. Miranda said he did not sign it because he had not been consulted on several points. Only prosecutor Francisco Garcia and Government Corruption Department director Octavio Lister have signed the document.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)