The senator Gustavo Penadesaccused of having sexually abused minors, He once again reiterated his “absolute innocence” and said to have the “clear conscience“despite the investigation carried out by prosecutor Alicia Ghione against him.
“Absolutely I keep insisting that I’m innocent. I have a clear conscience“, he stated when leaving the Juan Carlos Gómez court, where he appeared at a hearing in which his defense asked to lift the reservation on the identity of the victims. This was denied by judge Marcela Vargas and now a Court of Appeals must render an award.
the legislator defended his desire to know who the people who accused him in court are and asked that the way in which the advance declaration of the victims will be carried out be reviewed, since, as established, it will be done using the gessel camera method but with the voice distorted and the image turned off, so that the truth is not revealed. Identity of the persons making a statement.
“I don’t know any of those who have denounced me“Penadés insisted and said that there is no evidence, as the prosecutor does maintain, that”there is danger” by revealing the identity of the complainants. “What is being done is violating the right of defense,” he said in that regard.
The legislator, whose privileges were lifted by Parliament and who resigned from the National Party, said that “over time” the “plot” he understands is behind the case will become known.
“If you were sued by someone, Shouldn’t you know who’s reporting it?“He responded to a journalist’s question.
Asked about the complaint that he said he would make for defamation and insults against the militant Romina Celeste – and that has not yet been filed – Penadés maintained that “in due time” it will.
When asked if he is facing a political maneuver, he replied: “I don’t know, time will tell. What I can tell you is that I am as calm as the first day.”
And he said that “there are not eleven victims”, but “eleven testimonies” against him.
The lawyer’s word
“Know the identities implies that one can develop a substantial right of defense a rule of law. If one does not know the identities of the victims and their statements are going to be developed without being able to hear the victims, there is an affectation on the right of defense”, Javier Vega, Penadés’ lawyer, said at the end of the hearing.
The lawyer added that the advance declaration regime must be used “under an extremely exceptional regime”, because it does not allow “developing techniques that can arrive at the truth.” We want the truth to be known, that the identity of the victims be made known. It can be with a Gesell camera but without a voice distorter and seeing the victims”
The Gesell chamber is a conditioned room so that a person can testify without coming into contact with others, but being able to be seen from another room. In cases of abuse, it is used to avoid re-victimization of the person making the statement, which could occur if they are in contact with the alleged aggressor.
