Odebrecht US$94M graft case defendant loses a court round
![](https://dominicantoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Pittaluga-Conrado-Pittaluga.jpeg)
C. Pittaluga. Photo z101.com.do
Santo Domingo.- The Supreme Court of Santo Domingo on Thursday ruled to reject the challenge filed against special Instruction judge Francisco Ortega, who presides over the preliminary trial in the Odebrecht US$94 million graft case.
The ruling reinstates Ortega to continue the preliminary trial that is in its final opening arguments.
The challenge against Ortega was submitted by the defendant Conrado Pittaluga, after the judge rejected a motion that would have ordered the telecom Claro to acknowledge that the telephone of Pittaluga’s son had been tapped.