President of Transcore Latam arrested over irregularities in INTRANT contract

Santo Domingo.- The Attorney General’s Office has arrested Jochy Gómez Canaán, president of Transcore Latam, following allegations of irregularities in a contract between his company and the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT). Gómez was detained after a five-hour interrogation led by Judge Wilson Camacho, head of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Corruption (Pepca). This action comes in response to a complaint by the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGCP), which highlighted irregularities in the contracting process for the modernization of the traffic light system in Greater Santo Domingo.

The contract controversy began nearly a year ago, leading to the suspension of the agreement with Transcore Latam. However, recent reports indicate that the project continued despite the supposed suspension, resurfacing after a power outage affected the traffic lights in September. Meanwhile, former INTRANT director Hugo Beras, who previously stepped down due to the scandal, has shifted blame for the contract’s approval to Public Contracting and the Comptroller’s Office.

Gómez has also been under scrutiny for separate dealings involving his other company, AURIX, SAS, which holds a contract with the Ministry of Defense to provide security information at the border. The case has raised questions about transparency and accountability in public procurement processes.