The sister of former President Danilo Medina, Carmen Magalys, accused in the Pulpo case, managed this Tuesday to have a court remove the electronic shackle that she is using for her involvement in this judicial process for corruption.
Although the former vice president of the Patrimonial Fund of the Reformed Companies (Fonper) actually wanted her house arrest, which she has been serving for almost two years, to be changed, a court determined that she only be released from the device used to verify her location. She will also continue to be prevented from leaving the country without judicial authorization.
The decision was made by the Third Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal of the National District, after hearing an appeal filed by the former official against the ratification of the measure of coercion.
The ruling was issued with the dissenting vote of judge Pedro Sánchez, who presided over the court, and with the favorable vote of judges Daniel Nolasco and Daneira García.
During the hearing, Carmen Magalys Medina said that she has no intention of fleeing so as not to appear before the preliminary hearing that will follow her along with her brother Alexis Medina and the other 24 defendants in this case.
She said that since she was implicated in the case, her health has been affected.
This is the second time that the modality of the measure of coercion of the accused has been modified, who is accused of taking advantage of her family ties with former President Medina and her position as vice president of the Fonper to commit crimes within the network of corruption, which Alexis was supposedly leading. Medina, and with which the State would have been defrauded of billions of pesos.
In July of last year, another court had allowed him to leave his house arrest twice a week within a radius of 500 meters, with an electronic pager.
Carmen Magalys has been confined in her residence since December 2020, when she was brought to justice along with the others involved in the Octopus case.
The defendant was vice president of the Fonper from 2012 to 2016. She was responsible for the execution of the functions, procedures and administrative techniques of the entity.
The case
In this process, in addition to Alexis and Carmen Magalys Medina, another 24 people and 21 companies are charged with charges of corruption and money laundering.
Regarding Alexis Medina, the main defendant, the file establishes that he created a corporate network and had himself awarded works, goods and services of the State to his name, as well as to third parties, operating as organized crime.
The defendants are accused of criminal association, fraud against the State, embezzlement, complicity for embezzlement, active and passive bribery.
Also, use of false documents, illicit financing of political campaigns, influence peddling, money laundering, coalition of officials, concussion, influence peddling and false public deeds, as well as falsification and omission in the sworn statement, illicit enrichment, prevarication , use of front names and front men.
