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Juan
Carlos Bolaños was arrested in
November 2017 and detained
until on May 2019 when a judge
ordered house arrest while the
investigations continue.
/ Asamblea Legistaliva
courtesy photo
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The case of
$45.5 million Cementazo has required
the analysis of 50,000 files and 10
defendants, said the prosecutor
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The most updated report of the
General Prosecutor 's Office on
the controversial case known as
Cementazo confirms that for
approximately 20 months, the
agents have conducted a thorough
investigation with a list of 10
accused persons and the opening of
22 criminal cases parallel to the
main file and the investigation of
50,000 files.
Additionally, they have requested
five operations with raids in 14
sites, analyzing evidence, 18
seizures records with their
respective analysis and 69
interviews with witnesses.
The Cementazo case is a political
scandal of suspicion of corruption
that was revealed by the media in
2017 where a loan of $31.5 million
from the Bank of Costa Rica to the
businessman Juan Carlos Bolaños
was denounced for irregularities.
The case gained traction after the
disclosure of an audio record by
the CRHoy.com online news site of
a conversation between Bolaños and
the manager of the bank surnamed
Quesada.
The investigations have uncovered
an alleged case of influence
peddling and questions the
employer's relationship with
members of the government,
including deputies, the Supreme
Court of Justice authorities and
the presidency, as well as members
of different political parties.
In summary, the bank loaned
Bolaños $31.5 million in November
2015 to import cement from China.
Bank managers changed regulations
and the Ministry of Economy also
made changes to favor Bolaños.
According to the Superintendency
of Financial Institutions, it is
unknown what the entrepreneur has
done with $12.3 million that he
did not use. He kept $12.3 million
in his accounts for six months
before returning them to the bank,
the investigation disclosed.
Other public banks also made loans
to Bolaños, who managed to obtain
$45.5 million.
Bolaños was arrested in November
2017 and detained until on May
2019 when a judge ordered house
arrest while the investigations
continue.
According to the attorney general,
Emilia Navas Aparicio, "it
is a complex case, not only
because of the number of suspects
but of the type of corruption that
is investigated and because it
involves the government
authorities."
"The people may be sure that
the case is well attended,
adequately addressed and processed
and will be resolved with the
corresponding requirement, at the
time when the first phase of the
investigation ends; we had to work
day and night to recover time that
had been lost by the inaction of
the past," said Navas.
Currently, the Attorney General's
Office is investigating $36
million that appear to be refunds
of money made in 46 transactions.
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Should the prosecution
make the investigation in this
case that apparently involves high
authorities of the government? We
would like to know your thoughts
on this story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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