Dominican Republic Judiciary marks its day amid ballooning crisis

Santo Domingo.- Amid a ballooningcrisis which has rocked the institutional foundations of justice, Dominican Republic´sjudicial branch marks the Day of the Judiciary today, with questionable rulingsand complaints on uncovered actions by judges which have hobbled their credibility.

Institutional andJustice Foundation (FINJUS) vice president Serbio Tulio Castaños on Wednesdaynoted that the gravity of the crisis in the justice system widened further whenSupreme Court chief justice Mariano German accused Judiciary Council member FrancisArias and other judges of selling rulings.

The scandal promptedthe Justice Ministry to launch an investigation that led to Arias´ indictment andpretrial incarceration.

The latest scandal -ofalleged manipulation of court proceedings uncovered in November- forced Arias toresign from the Council, and also led to the incarceration of judge AwildaReyes.