Dominican prosecutor said judge took US$2.0M bribe won’t be charged

Santo Domingo.- The prosecutor of the National District Appellate Court on Tuesday discarded the Contempt of Court accusation filed by Instruction judge Margarita Cristo against National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso in May 2.

José Sepúlveda said the Contempt of Court complaint against Reynoso doesn’t constitute a criminal offense against a public official and communicated his decision to the lawyers for both sides.

The Appellate Court prosecutor said Reynoso’s accusation voiced at the hearing in the case against former Public Works minister Víctor Díaz Rúa, "had the only and exclusive intent to motivate and inform of the recusation of the judge, not contempt of court as the complainant alleges."

Reynoso accused Cristo of receiving a US$2.0 million bribe from Puerto Rican kingpin Jose Figueroa Agosto.