For Laura Acostalawyer of Hugo Berasformer director of the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intrant), his client “He is a scapegoat” in the so-called Operation Chameleonwith which the Public Ministry tries to demonstrate that the accused is co-author of an alleged network against the treasury for more than 1,300 million pesos, due to the contract of that state institution with private companies of the businessman “Jochi” Gómez, an agreement that was to modernize the Santo Domingo traffic light system.
When the togada was asked if it influenced the judge’s decision the imposition of 18 months of preventive detention against Beras the fact that last Wednesday the judges who considered themselves victims of espionage by Jochi visited the court during the hearing of the request for a coercive measure, he said that he cannot guarantee it, because he does not have evidencebut he was found “strange and strange” in his more than 20 years of practicing law.
However, he pointed out that «It is evident that in this case there are extremely great interests, which escape ourselves and Hugo Beras himself. So there is that possibility, but I can’t say for sure. He considered that the judge’s decision against his client is “a hard blow; “But he doesn’t have to lower his head,” so they will appeal the measure.
Another of the three who were sent to prison as a preventive measure was Jochi, owner of the company Aurix SAS, and Pedro Padovani, former head of the Traffic Control Center. Furthermore, the judge declared the case complex.
The other defendants are: Frank Rafael Atilano Díaz WardenOffice coordinator and representative of Hugo Beras before the Intrant Purchasing Committee; Samuel Gregorio Baquero SepúlvedaDirector of Technology; who was imposed house arrest and prevented from leaving; Juan Francisco Álvarez, Administrative and Financial Director of Intrant. The companies Transcore Latam, Aurix and Inprosol are also charged.
