Dominican Republic Justice Minister backs colleague in judge-prosecutor row
Santo Domingo.- Justice minister Francisco Domínguez on Wednesday came out in defense of the embattled prosecutor of the National District, affirming that the complaint filed by Instruction judge Margarita Cristo against her, "doesn’t have any basis."
"I don’t think there is any kind of criminal violation," the official said, while denying that the embezzlement case against former Public Works minister Victor Diaz Rua has led to a confrontation within the Judiciary, although “everyone has to play their part.”
Cristo charged National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso with contempt of court during a hearing, where, among other allegations, she accused the judge of accepting US$2.0 million from Puerto Rican kingpin Jose Figueroa Agosto.
When asked about Diaz Rua’s request to halt the Anti-money-laundering Committee’s probe into his case, Dominguez said the Justice Ministry would take the measures it deems necessary to remove any obstacle to Reynoso’s investigation.