SANTO DOMINGO.- The Public Ministry expressed disagreement with the decision of the Third Collegiate Court of the National District that declared not guilty those accused of receiving bribes of US $ 3.5 million by the Brazilian Aeronautical Company (Embraer) to benefit from the sale of eight aircraft Super Tucano and announced that he will appeal the sentence on appeal.
José Miguel Marmolejos, prosecutor assigned to the Specialized Prosecutor for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca), explained that as corresponds in a State of law, that body will file the resources established by law, which in this case is the appeal.
“In the present case, today the court has made a succinct summary of the motivations. The full resolution is pending; however, we can anticipate that, in the statements made by the court, we have observed contradictions in arguments that we do not share”, said the representative of the Public Ministry.
We recommend: Judges declare not guilty those involved in the “Super Tucano” case
The decision of judges Arlín Ventura Jiménez (president), Leticia Martínez Noboa and Milagros Mercedes Ramírez Cabrera declares retired Major General Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio, former Minister of Defense, not guilty; Colonel Carlos Piccini Núñez, former director of Special Projects of the Dominican Air Force (FAD), and businessman Daniel Aquino Hernández, as well as the firms 4D Business Group and Magycor.
When presenting its formal conclusions on May 3, the Public Ministry asked the court to impose 10 years in prison for Peña Antonio, Piccini Núñez and Aquino Hernández, for committing the crimes they were charged with. Likewise, it requested the payment of a fine consisting of US$7 million.
Also, against each of the companies requested the payment of a fine of 100 minimum wages.
La Pepca accused the group of violating several articles of the Dominican Penal Code, Law 448-06, on Bribery in Commerce and Investment, and the old Law 72-02, on Money Laundering.
Last November, the prosecutorial body began the presentation of the accusation against those involved in this case for bribery, money laundering and illicit enrichment.
The process began in 2016 and the accusation was later presented in 2017.
The Embraer company, which admitted the delivery of bribes, was sentenced in 2018 to pay 7 million 40 thousand dollars to the Dominican 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 account movements, as well as the location and investigation of the origin of assets.
The trial prosecutor Marmolejos represented the Public Ministry at the hearing, along with Isis de la Cruz, Ernis Mella, Rosa Pichardo and Rosa Alba García.
The court set for next July 12, at 9:00 in the morning, the full reading of the sentence.
