Judges in ‘rulings for sale’ case get police protection

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Ministry has assigned policeprotection to suspended judge Awilda Reyes and former Judicial Council member,Francisco Arias, both indicted in the “rulings for sale” case.

The defendants, under house arrest charged with graft andtaking bribes, arrived at the National District Appellate Court accompanied bycorrectional officers.

Appellate Court of judge Ramona Rodriguez started thepreliminary hearing near noon in the case against Reyes and Arias.

The defense asked the court to order the National DistrictOffice of the Prosecutor to trace the calls on Reyes’ cell phone and to analyzethe receipt allegedly signed by the judge, who allegedly returned RD$350,000 toArias, who allegedly received as a bribe to release Pedro Brand town councilmanErickson de los Santos, now being held on charges of heading a network of hiredkillers.