High court overturns US$20M decision in ‘rulings for sale’ scandal

Santo Domingo.-The Constitutional Court (TC) on Friday overturneda ruling handed down by the now suspended judge Awilda Reyes, to return US$20million to Prado Universal Corp. and its main partner Arturo del Tiempo,convicted of drug smuggling in his native Spain.

National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso filedthe appeal on constitutional grounds against the ruling by the former Penal Chamberjudge, involving the luxury high-rise, Torre Atiemar, developed by del Tiempo.

The high Court had suspended the execution of the ruling inApril, until the Judiciary Council decided whether the Reyes was competent tohear the request of an injunction filed by Prado Universal Corp against theJustice Minister and the State-owned Reservas Bank.

The high court rulingis the latest in a series of overturned rulings handed down by Reyes, who alongwith fired Judicial Council