Another hearing in country’s biggest land fraud case

Santo Domingo.- The Superior Land Court Central Dept. on Wednesday ruled against several motions to postpone the hearing on appeals which declared worthless the deeds issued to individuals for hundreds of hectares at Bahia de las Aguilas (southwest), which has become the country’s biggest land fraud case

Judges Manuel A. Read, Pilar Jiménez and Catalina Ferreras set for June 22 the next hearing, after both parts submitted evidence over the legality of the deeds.

They also ruled against a motion that sought to subpoena the former heads of the Dominican Agrarian Institute, Jaime Rodriguez Guzman, Mayra Feliz, Marcelino Vargas and Tito Hernandez.

The judges also ruled against hearing testimony from former Justice minister Abel Rodriguez, as well as reports by surveyors Domingo Duran and Victor Betermí, questioning "the usefulness of the documents as evidence."

The court also ordered the Barahona Deeds Registry to take inventory within 45 days of Parcel 215, which contains most of the land of Bahia de las Aguilas, including its seven kilometers of pristine beach.