High court convicts former senior official linked to ex president

Santo Domingo.- The Supreme Court sentenced ruling PLD party leader and former Dominican diplomat Aristipo Vidal to six months in prison, convicted of writing a bad check for RD$6.0 million in violation of Law 62-00.

The former director of the National Assets Agency (BN) was also sentenced to pay RD$300,000 in damages to the plaintiff Juan Cecilio Peralta, in addition to the full amount of the check. Vidal must serve his sentence at Najayo prison.

The National District 2nd Criminal Chamber had refused to hear the case on May 4, 2012, since Vidal had privileged jurisdiction, as a Cabinet Minister during the Administration of Leonel Fernandez.

Vidal is the first high-ranking official in Fernandez’s cabinet convicted on felony charges thus far.