NewsWhore
10-23-2007, 05:20 PM
Francisco Dominguez Brito, a former Attorney General and current president of the Senate Justice Committee, says that yesterday's judgment on the Baninter case weakens the justice system because the decision tried to appease all sides. Dominguez, speaking in Hoy, says that despite the Solomonic intent from the judges Antonio Sanchez Mejia, Pilar Rufino and Giselle Mendez, the judgment was not technically coherent and sets a bad precedent for being so confusing.
Dominguez says that he regrets the way in which so many corruption cases end up going down this very same route and says that he has no idea where the judgment will end up because it is neither clear nor precise. "We have major challenges in administrative corruption cases," the legislator told Hoy.
El Caribe publishes comments by former judge and lawyer Juan Miguel Castillo Pantaleon who says that the verdict in itself is not understandable. He added that in the end the verdict did not appease anyone.
In the judgment, former Baninter bank president Ramon Baez Figueroa was sentenced to 10 years in jail for violation of Law 83-02, the Monetary and Financial Law. Baez Figueroa was discharged of the accusations of laundering assets and abuse of trust. However, Luis Alvarez Renta was condemned for complicity in laundering assets. Vivian Lubrano de Castillo and Jesus Maria Troncoso were released due to insufficient evidence. Baez Figueroa was sentenced to pay RD$64 billion in compensation to the Central Bank and RD$45.46 billion to the Superintendence of Banks.
Dominguez Brito was entrusted with the case in August 2004 when he was appointed Attorney General in the new Fernandez administration. He later resigned in order to campaign for the senator seat for Santiago.
Castillo Pantaleon also explained that the judgment favors the former Baninter president because the criminal charges were removed, which meant that the assets that had been impounded would be returned. He explains, "The compensation will be paid with the money from the intervened companies. In other words, Baez Figueroa will not have to pay a cent from his pocket... and will be able to continue enjoying the money he has left over." Castillo forecast that the case would now move on to the appeal court where his lawyers will seek the definitive discharge "and all will be left as is."
Lawyer Jottin Cury commented that each day Dominican courts issue 15 to 20-year prison sentences against people for minor infractions such as stealing a chicken, in contrast to the 10-year sentences issued in the case of the greatest fraud ever committed in the country.
Father Rogelio Cruz, a parish priest in the province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez, is quoted as saying: "It is a joke at the expense of the people. This verdict is clearly saying that if you are going to steal, steal a lot, if you are going to do it, do it big. It was clear there was complicity and tie-in between those who administer justice and the powerful.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
Dominguez says that he regrets the way in which so many corruption cases end up going down this very same route and says that he has no idea where the judgment will end up because it is neither clear nor precise. "We have major challenges in administrative corruption cases," the legislator told Hoy.
El Caribe publishes comments by former judge and lawyer Juan Miguel Castillo Pantaleon who says that the verdict in itself is not understandable. He added that in the end the verdict did not appease anyone.
In the judgment, former Baninter bank president Ramon Baez Figueroa was sentenced to 10 years in jail for violation of Law 83-02, the Monetary and Financial Law. Baez Figueroa was discharged of the accusations of laundering assets and abuse of trust. However, Luis Alvarez Renta was condemned for complicity in laundering assets. Vivian Lubrano de Castillo and Jesus Maria Troncoso were released due to insufficient evidence. Baez Figueroa was sentenced to pay RD$64 billion in compensation to the Central Bank and RD$45.46 billion to the Superintendence of Banks.
Dominguez Brito was entrusted with the case in August 2004 when he was appointed Attorney General in the new Fernandez administration. He later resigned in order to campaign for the senator seat for Santiago.
Castillo Pantaleon also explained that the judgment favors the former Baninter president because the criminal charges were removed, which meant that the assets that had been impounded would be returned. He explains, "The compensation will be paid with the money from the intervened companies. In other words, Baez Figueroa will not have to pay a cent from his pocket... and will be able to continue enjoying the money he has left over." Castillo forecast that the case would now move on to the appeal court where his lawyers will seek the definitive discharge "and all will be left as is."
Lawyer Jottin Cury commented that each day Dominican courts issue 15 to 20-year prison sentences against people for minor infractions such as stealing a chicken, in contrast to the 10-year sentences issued in the case of the greatest fraud ever committed in the country.
Father Rogelio Cruz, a parish priest in the province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez, is quoted as saying: "It is a joke at the expense of the people. This verdict is clearly saying that if you are going to steal, steal a lot, if you are going to do it, do it big. It was clear there was complicity and tie-in between those who administer justice and the powerful.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)