Former Dominican officials face jail in ‘Anti-octopus’ scandal

Santo Domingo.- National District Judge, José Alejandro Vargas, on Tue. met with the lawyers of the ten accused of alleged acts of corruption and of bring front men in the last administration.

Prior to the arraignment, the judge summoned the lawyers to his chambers and are reportedly coordinating the time and how long each hearing will last.

Meanwhile the defendants are being held in the jail at the Ciudad Nueva courthouse where their relatives gather in its corridors, trying to see them.

The prosecution is expected to seek pretrial detention against former State Works Supervising Engineers Office (Oisoe) director Francisco Pagán Rodríguez; Reformed Companies Capital Fund (Fonper) former president Fernando Aquilino Rosa; Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez and Carmen Magalys Medina Sánchez, former Fonper vice president. Both brothers of former President Danilo Medina.

Also former Public Health Minister, Lorenzo Wilfredo (Freddy) Hidalgo Núñez; Rafael Antonio Germosén Andújar, Aquiles Alejandro Christopher Sánchez, Domingo Antonio Santiago Muñoz, Julián Esteban Suriel Suazo and José Dolores Santana Carmona.