‘Put up or shut up’ appellate court judge tells top prosecutor

Santo Domingo.- Justice minister Francisco Dominguez’s statement that drug trafficking has permeated the judiciary, the police and the Antinarcotics Agency (DNCD) were called ‘earth-shaking’ by the secretary of the judges grouped in Judemo, Daniel Julio Nolasco, who noted that as the country’s top prosecutor, he should refer specific cases to the authorities.

"Such statements could be seen as very earth-shaking from who heads the State’s criminal policy, because such generalized allegations shouldn’t be made," Nolasco said, quoted by elcaribe.com.do.

He said Dominguez should state now drug trafficking has been able to penetrate or influence a judge and if it resulted in a ruling “in one way or another.”

Nolasco, of the District National 1st Court of Appeals, said if Dominguez’s allegations are specific, the judicial system would open a process in that regard. "Such a complaint shouldn’t be voiced, the examples of a given situation should be noted in concrete terms and with that he would provide a great service to the nation and to the judicial system."