Major drug cases taint Dominican Republic’s judges

Santo Domingo. – The judges’ setting of bond have become the get-out-of-jail-free cards for those indicted in major drug trafficking cases, with some unleashing scandals and others skip bail, to break the law again.

Some of the cases involve foreigners whom could be requested in extradition by other countries to face charges there.

Among the cases is the one of 25 kilos of cocaine allegedly seized from Rigoberto Valdez and Francisco Auriel Pacheco, in which Santo Domingo 3rd Instruction Court judge Karen Josefina Mejía ruled to release them on RD$25,000 bond.

Also Pablo Ezequiel Sanchez, indicted in a case of 50 kilos of cocaine in May 2010, when National District 1st Appellate Court judges Manuel A. Hernandez and Katia Miguelina Jiménez ordered their release on one million peso bond; and the one of the businessman Robert Tonos Mauad , also indicted in the case, was allowed house arrest.