Chief Justice bows out in ‘rulings for sale’ scandal

Santo Domingo.- Supreme Court chief justiceMariano German on Friday recused himself from hearing the disciplinary trial againstsuspended judge Awilda Reyes, noting that he’s the person that she confessed toand who publicly revealed her alleged role in the ‘rulings for sale’ scandal.

German’s decision stems from Reyes’ rulings inthe cases of Torre Atiemar owned by Spanish drug trafficker Arturo del Tiempo andthe release on bond of Pedro Brand councilman Ericson de los Santos, charged withseveral contract killings of members of transport unions.

The suspended judge yesterday announced that shewill subpoena Germán to testify, claiming that he has more to say andcontribute

She said former Justice minister FranciscoDominguez will also be subpoenaed. "so that he can identify the othermembers of the alleged network involved in trading favors for rulings of peoplelinked to organized crime and money laundering."

“Prepare yourselves, fromthis trial will come out absolutely everything," Reyes told reporters at the hearing.

Media access

Contrary to the two previous hearings, the JudiciaryCouncil approved the presence of the press in the proceedings of the disciplinarytrial.