Justice Minister halts house arrest for bank fraud convict

Santo Domingo.- Justice minister Francisco Domínguez on Monday said the ruling allowing the inmate Luis Alvarez Renta’s house arrest cannot be adhered to until the entire appeal process has been completed.

He said the immediate enforcement has no legal basis in the Criminal Procedure Code, which in his view states the court ruling is subject to appeal, and that the filing of the appeal doesn’t halt the penalty from being carried out, unless the Court of Appeals so orders.

San Cristóbal Setencing Court judge José Ignacio Medrano ruled for Alvarez Renta’s house arrest for one year, since, according to medical records, the inmate had back surgery, is diabetic and hypertensive.

The financier was convicted of fraud in the Baninter bank collapse, which cost Dominican taxpayerss US$2.5 billion.