Dominican Republic police arrest 19 in high-profile corruption case
Authorities within the Dominican Republic have arrested 19 individuals in a sweeping corruption case that accuses a well known former presidential candidate and three former officers of embezzling almost $350 million and unlawful marketing campaign financing.
The arrests are the most recent in a string of investigations that officers have launched previously two years as a part of a crackdown on rampant authorities corruption within the Caribbean nation.
Amongst these detained Saturday evening is Gonzalo Castillo, a former public works minister who received 37% of the vote when he ran as presidential candidate for the Dominican Liberation Get together within the 2020 common elections received by present President Luis Abinader.
Additionally arrested is a former treasury minister, Donald Guerrero; former comptroller common, Daniel Omar Caamaño; and former administrative minister to the presidency, José Ramón Peralta.
Prosecutors mentioned they’re accused of paying bribes, laundering belongings and illegally financing the earlier electoral marketing campaign on an “unprecedented” scale after embezzling $347 million of presidency funds.
The suspects had been charged after authorities launched 40 raids concentrating on their properties and companies within the capital of Santo Domingo and past.
A whole lot of Castillo supporters gathered Monday exterior the Justice Palace to protest his arrest as they waved the get together’s purple-and-yellow flag and tried to break the constructing earlier than police scattered the gang with tear fuel.
In the meantime, officers with the Dominican Liberation Get together questioned the impartiality of prosecutors and accused them of solely investigating and arresting former authorities officers and never trying into corruption allegations towards Abinader’s present administration.
“It’s clear that behind these actions, there are markedly political and re-election pursuits,” mentioned Charlie Mariotti, the get together’s secretary common.
AP/