Accused links recently fired govt. official to bank fraud case

Santo Doming.- The NationalDistrict Court ofAppeals on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling of six months pretrial detentionagainst three former executives of the failed Peravia Bank, charged with fraud and forgery.

At the same hearing oneof the defendants accused former State Works Supervisory Engineers Office (OISOE)director Miguel Pimentel Kareh of ordering him to work as the security chief inthe Peravia Bank, from that government agency..

Peravia Bank formervice president Carlos Serret; Nelson Cabral and bank security chief, Army Col.Florentino de Jesus Acosta are awaiting trial in San Pedro de Macoris prison

Serret pleaded notguilty and said he´s an ethical person and resigned from Peravia Bank to attendother personal commitments

At the hearing de JesusAcosta accused Pimentel Kareh, until recently director of OISOE, of issuing directorders to work at Peravia Bank with the accused José Luis Santoro and JimenezAray, both Venezuelan, declared fugitives on international arrest warrants.

Two of the plaintiffsin the bank fraud case also accused de Jesus Acostaof death threats.