The First Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal of the National District yesterday temporarily lifted the impediment to leaving the country for the former presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party, Gonzalo Castillo, so that he can travel to Cleveland, Ohio, United States, to be treated for cardiovascular problems.
The decision was adopted by majority vote of judges Daniel Nolasco and Rafael Báez, with a dissenting vote of Judge Ramona Rodríguez.
Judge Daniel Nolasco, who is head of the Third Criminal Chamber, served as presiding judge.
The Fourth Investigative Court of the National District had denied the request to lift the impediment to leaving the country of the former Minister of Public Works, and the appeal was blocked against that decision.
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Judge Nolasco was appointed by order by the Presidency of the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeal of the National District to preside over the hearing of the lifting of the exit impediment to the former presidential candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party, for the purposes of traveling to the United States. United by health problems.
Prior to the decision of the appeal court, the lawyer of Gonzalo CastilloLaura Acosta, became involved in a confrontation with the Public Ministry because the latter argued that the accused could be treated in a medical center in the country, without the need to travel abroad, which angered the litigant to the point of withdrawing from the audience.
The defense of the former Minister of Public Works, which also includes Jurists Nassef Perdomo and Luis Miguel Rivas, asked the appeal court for a temporary adjournment so that their client can travel to a medical appointment in the United States.
In its decision, the court assessed the procedural behavior of the accused in the Calamar case, since he has complied with all the requirements of justice, and that he never left the country, so he does not represent a flight risk.
Gonzalo’s defense assessed the court’s decision as correct and consistent with justice, but not the arguments of the Public Ministry, which opposed allowing him to travel abroad.
On December 21, 2023, the judge of the Second Investigative Court of the National District, Patricia Padilla, ordered the removal of house arrest from the former Minister of Public Works, Gonzalo Castillo, accused in the corruption file of the Calamar case, under the allegation of that there is no danger of escape.
However, it maintains the impediment of departure and the financial guarantee of 20 million pesos through an insurance company.
Squid
The Public Ministry defined as a “criminal holding company” the alleged structure set up by Donald Guerrero to embezzle from the Dominican State of RD$41,185,964,839.76 during the government of former President Danilo Medina through irregular payments for expropriations of land declared of public utility.
