SANTO DOMINGO.– The judges of the Third Collegiate Court of the National District declared not guilty those accused of receiving bribes of US$3.5 million by the Brazilian Aeronautics Company (Embraer) to benefit from the sale of eight Super Tucano aircraft.
Also read: Super Tucano case: Public Ministry trusts there will be convictions against defendants
They are retired Major General Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio, former Minister of Defense; Colonel Carlos Piccini Núñez, former director of special projects of the Dominican Air Force (FAD) and businessman Daniel Aquino Hernández, as well as the companies 4D Business Group and Magycorp.
Judges Arlin Ventura, Leticia Noboa and Milagros Ramírez read the sentence, which was interrupted on several occasions by blackouts.
They also ordered the cessation of the coercive measure against the defendants in the process and set for June 12 the full reading of the sentence.
Upon leaving the court, Piccini Núñez says that justice was done and that he bears no grudge against those who accused him, whom he forgives, since he is a believing man.
The Public Ministry had requested a 10-year prison sentence against those involved in the case, after being accused of bribery, money laundering and illicit enrichment.
In addition to the sentence, the Public Ministry requested to impose a fine of RD$7 million on the defendants in the case.
Judges declare not guilty those involved in the “Super Tucano” casehttps://t.co/j73F0GZRZ4 #CasoTucano #piccini #Embraer #Corruption #NewspaperTheDay pic.twitter.com/ACRT7P3EL9
– El Día Newspaper (@ElDia_do) May 30, 2022
The prosecution body asked to impose a fine of 100 minimum wages on the companies 4D Business Group and Magycor.
The Super Tucanos aircraft operate from the San Isidro Air Base, in East Santo Domingo. ELIESER TAPIA
The Embraer company, which admitted the delivery of bribes, was sentenced in 2018 to pay 7 million 40 thousand dollars to the State.
The investigations in this case included the tracking of money transfers in the country and abroad, analysis and verification of assets, examination of bank movements, as well as the location and investigation of the origin of assets.
Retired Major General Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio involved in the case of the Super Tucanos planes.
Proceedings
The process followed by the three people and two companies accused of receiving bribes from the Embraer company for the purchase of eight Super Tucano aircraft began in 2016 and the accusation was later filed in 2017.
