Judicial scandal ´Deeply disturbs Dominican society´s conscience´

Santo Domingo.- "Thisis a serious fact which has undermined the foundations of the criminal justicesystem in the Dominican Republic and has convulsed the country’s judiciary in acatastrophic manner, which deeply disturbs Dominican society´s conscience,"especial instruction judge Ramón Horacio González said Thursday in reading his rulingto incarcerate judge Awilda Reyes and former magistrate Francisco Arias.

Gonzalez said there´s “evidenceof guilt” the alleged actions and of which he affirmed have “undermined thefoundations of the Republic, discrediting justice to such an extent that it haslost confidence in it.

The defendants were escortedto San Cristóbal´s (south) Najayo prison by an elite police unit andimmediately taken to a cell isolated from the other inmates, and will haveaccess to the yard at different times, and under 24-hour surveillance.

The mandatory review ofthe ruling was set for 10am March 17, and the reading of the full decision isslated for next Monday.