The 2nd Control Court of Apure ordered the opening of a trial against three high-ranking officials of the Governor’s Office of Apure, accused of acts of corruption, according to file 2C-25.098-22 to which we had partial access.
In this case, the defendants are: Laura Mercedes Rodríguez Sterlin (administrator), Jorge Luis Salazar Rangel (treasurer) and Arnoldo Javier Santana Lovera (head of billing and payments).
These people were arrested between August 20 and 23, 2022, as reported at the time by the governor of Apure, Eduardo Piñate, who accused them of being involved in “a very serious case of corruption.”
On August 26, 2022, Rodríguez, Salazar and Santana were indicted by the prosecutor Ramón Antonio Torres Espinoza for the alleged commission of: intentional delay or omission of functions, conspiracy to enter into contracts and criminal association.
This act of imputation was carried out in the 2nd Control Court of Apure, San Fernando extension, in charge of Judge Rosmery Torres Leal, who decreed deprivation of liberty for the three detainees and ordered their detention in Detachment 351 of the National Guard Bolivarian.
On October 13, 2022, the 55th Prosecutor’s Office presented the indictment against Rodríguez, Salazar and Santana requesting that a trial be opened against them.
This request was debated on December 15, 2022, during the preliminary hearing held in the 2nd Control Court whose head, Rosmery Torres, accepted the proposal of the Public Ministry and consequently ordered the accused to be brought to trial.
The appeal
Against that decision, the defendants’ defenders filed an appeal, who are waiting for the Apure Court of Appeals to rule. The lawyers hope that the Court annuls the preliminary hearing because it was held allegedly denying Laura Rodríguez the right to defense.
The defense lawyers also argue that the Public Ministry did not explain the individual actions of each of the three defendants in the acts of corruption denounced by Governor Eduardo Piñate.
“This brings as a legal consequence the non-existence of the formal imputation,” says the appeal brief.
The Public Ministry reports that the investigation began due to an alleged call from a provider claiming pending payments and warning about the collection of commissions.
In this regard, the defense lawyers respond that the Public Ministry did not accredit the alleged victims of those charges. “Therefore, this crime did not materialize,” they stated.
Beating
A month before Laura Rodríguez (administrator) was arrested, she was subdued and beaten inside the Apure Government facilities, according to witnesses. That day, security personnel had to take her out through a back door to avoid being attacked by motorized vehicles stationed around the Government Palace. Rodríguez was confined for several days treating the injuries that caused him.
After the beating, presumed officials vandalized the house where Laura Rodríguez lived, located in San Fernando de Apure. They broke the doors and stole all her personal property, according to neighbors.
In the file rests an accounting expertise where it is concluded that “when analyzing the accounting documentation it is indicated that economic patrimonial damage to the Apure Governorate could not be determined.”
