Patricia Benavidesinvestigated for alleged incompatible negotiation, has notified to the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Crimes Committed by Public Officials about a trip which will take place in Santiago de Chile from July 24 to 28. This was announced by his lawyer, Juan Peña Flores, who presented the notification along with the airfare to the team headed by Supreme Prosecutor Delia Espinoza.
“I inform your office that My client will take a family trip to the city of Santiago de Chile from July 24 to 28 of this year. Also, in order to corroborate the aforementioned, I attach the airfare,” is detailed in the letter presented by the defense.
Former Attorney General Patricia Benavides investigated for corruption and alleged member of a criminal organizationdoes not face an impediment to leaving the country because the Prosecutor’s Office did not request it. However, the letter of notification of his trip, presented on the same day of his departure (July 24), has raised questions.
In this regard, the criminal lawyer Benji Espinoza He explained in statements to La República that, although Patricia Benavides does not have an impediment to leaving the country, this decision is not yet final. “This resolution can still be revoked or annulled by the Supreme Court that appealed. I believe that this decision can be used by the Prosecutor’s Office as an argument indicating that she fled because she did not notify the court in advance.”
According to the lawyer, Benavides would not have the obligation to report about his trip, but Peña is advancement upon filing the notification due to the upcoming appeal by the judge who requested the ban on leaving the country.
However, Espinoza suggested that Benavides’ defense could have made this decision by informing him in advance of the departure. advocate good faith of the client, unless an extraordinary situation is demonstrated that justifies the purchase of tickets on the same day of travel. Details that the authorities will have to determine.
Patricia Benavides is not prohibited from leaving the country
In the middle of this month, the Permanent Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court admitted the appeal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office against The decision of Judge Juan Carlos Checkley Soriawho had refused to impose a 36-month exit ban on Patricia Benavides.
The room, chaired by César San Martín Castro, has ordered the holding a new hearing to reconsider the request of Supreme Prosecutor Delia Espinoza. The resolution highlights that Judge Checkley Soria did not adequately assess the evidence presented against Benavides.
Prosecutor Espinoza had described eleven criminal acts in which Benavides allegedly participated and presented 67 pieces of evidence. The ruling criticizes the judge for only evaluating the facts in isolation instead of considering their correlation and coherence as a whole.
JNJ opens investigation against Benavides for accrediting Jorge Del Castillo as his lawyer
The National Board of Justice (JNJ) initiated a preliminary investigation against Patricia Benavides for having accredited Jorge Del Castillo as his defense attorney. Del Castillo, also a former APRA congressman, expressed concern about the accumulation of disciplinary proceedings against Benavides, suggesting that ‘there is a campaign against him.’
Del Castillo pointed out that Benavides is currently facing four disciplinary proceedings and questioned the possibility of them joining further investigations, describing the situation as a “pile-up” and an abuse of rights.
The investigation arose from a document presented in December by Congressman Jaime Quito, who questions the appointment of Del Castillo as Benavides’ representative, while he is under investigation for alleged money laundering related to the Odebrecht case.
