Dominican Republic starts probe into US$194.9M hot tar scandal

Santo Domingo.- The former presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Gonzalo Castillo, has become the target of an investigation that will be deepened by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), after having received a case file on alleged irregularities committed in the Public Works Ministry in the tenure of the politician.

Yesterday Public Procurement director Carlos Pimentel, and Government Ethics director Milagros Ortiz Bosch, submitted before the PGR the documents of an investigation into the purchase of hot asphalt for RD$11.5 billion (US$194.9 million) in Public Works in Castillo’s tenure.

“Among the findings, there are indications of links between some of the benefited companies with Gonzalo Castillo, so this information is made available to the PGR to carry out the appropriate proceedings. In the same way, due to the irregularities in the contracting of RD$11.5 billion, it would be important that this case be widened by the Justice Ministry,” said Pimentel upon leaving the PGR.