The prosecutor Mirna OrtizLitigation Coordinator of the Public Ministryassured that with the arrest and search of the former director of the National Land Traffic Institute (Intrant), Hugo Berasthe agency acted in accordance with the law, contrary to the statements issued by the defendant’s lawyers, who denounced a series of excesses by the police and violation of the right of their client to be assisted by them when the arrest occurred.
After depositing the record of request for measure of coercionProsecutor Ortiz assured the press that Beras even stated upon his arrival at the Attorney General’s Office that he was treated with dignity and decorum on the night of Wednesday, October 2.
“He Public Ministry has acted in accordance with the law, complying with the rules and protocols, and our best evidence It is the accused himself and his family about the treatment he received. Even upon his arrival at the Attorney General’s Office, after his arrest and in response to the complaints made by his lawyers, we asked him what the treatment he had received was and he himself, in his own voice, said that he had been treated with dignity, with decorum and with respect for their fundamental rights,” he said.
The Beras lawyersLuis Rivas and Laura Acosta, had reported that the agents pointed guns at the former official and his family and that they had even asked their 9-year-old son to get on the ground. They indicated that Beras’ right to be assisted by them that night was violated when he was detained in his home and that the Criminal Procedure Code establishes that the detainee has the right to speak with his lawyer upon his arrest.
Operation Chameleon
The Operation Chameleon It is the most recent investigation of supposed corruption that occupies Public Ministry. The agency indicates that it is a criminal network that operated under the management of Beras in the National Land Traffic Institute when it held a bidding process in which it was awarded, with serious irregularities, the company Transcore Latam to manage the traffic light network in Greater Santo Domingo last year.
Beras is named by the Public Ministry – in the arrest warrant – as the co-author and main facilitator of the corruption in the management of the traffic light network and the system video surveillance of Greater Santo Domingo after awarding this contract to Transcore Latam.
Accusation
Those accused in Operation Chameleon are investigated for conduct typical of what is established in articles 146, paragraph 1 of the Constitution (prohibition of corruption); articles 123, 124 (coalition of officials), 147, 150 and 151 of the Dominican Penal Code (use of private document); 171 and 172 (embezzlement), articles 265 and 266 (association of criminals), as well as article 405 (fraud to the detriment of the Dominican State) of the Dominican Penal Code; articles 11, 17, 27, and 28 (sabotage, identity theft, crimes and offenses against the nation, and acts of terrorism), of Law no. 53-07, against High Technology Crimes and Crimes.
As well as, articles 5, 33, 34, 35, 36, (smuggling) of Law no. 17-19 on the Eradication of Illicit Trade, Smuggling and Counterfeiting of Regulated Products; and articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10 (Money Laundering) of Law no. 155-17 on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, articles 5, 8 letter F and 26 of Law no. 267-08 on Terrorism, and creates the National Anti-Terrorist Committee and the National Anti-Terrorist Directorate, articles 66, 67 and 69 of Law 631-16, for the Control and Regulation of Weapons, Ammunition and Related Materials, all of this to the detriment of the State Dominican.
In addition to Beras, José Ángel Gómez Canáan is accused in this case (Jochi Gomez), president of Transcore Latam; Frank Rafael Atilano Díaz WardenOffice coordinator and representative of Hugo Beras before the Purchasing Committee of the Intrant; Samuel Gregorio Baquero Sepúlveda, Director of Technology of the Intrant; Pedro Vinicio Padovani Báezformer head of the Traffic Control Center of the Intrant; and Carlos José Peguero Vargasin charge of technical-computer matters at Jochi Gómez’s company.
They have all been detained since Wednesday, October 2 at the Center of attention of Deprivation of Liberty of the National District Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutor Ortiz said that in the course of the investigations they could include other people.
coercive measure
He Public Ministrywho deposited the request for measure of coercionwill request the imposition of preventive detention coercive measure and the declaration of complex case “because it is organized crime.”
In turn, after receiving the record by a commission of prosecutors, the Permanent Attention Office of the National District set the hearing for this saturday 11:00 in the morning.
Through the Operation Chameleonhe Public Ministry Last Wednesday night, October 2, a series of raids were carried out on residences and companies in the National District, Santo Domingo Este, San Cristóbal and Punta Cana, linked to the accused. Some 170 members of the National Police, Special Units and more than 30 specialized anti-terrorism prosecutors participated in these operations. racketeering.
The prosecution body assured that among the facts that are the subject of the accusation are the contract for the modernization of traffic light system of Greater Santo Domingo; the contract with Ministry of Defense and the company Aurix, dated June 23, 2020, used according to the organization “to usurp functions of the intelligence, security and defense organizations of the State” and the sabotage that occurred against the traffic light network in the month of August.
