Jean Alain Rodríguez’s defense will appeal the rejection of the extinction of criminal action
The legal team for the former Attorney General of the Republic, Jean Alain Rodríguez, has confirmed that they will appeal the recent decision of the Second Collegiate Court of the National District. The judicial body dismissed the request for the extinction of the criminal action filed within the framework of the proceedings for alleged acts of administrative corruption involving the former official.
Through an official statement, the defense attorneys pointed out that, although the court acknowledged that the judicial process has extended for nearly six years —exceeding the four-year legal limit established in procedural regulations—, the final decision did not favor their claims. According to the defense, the court erroneously determined that the expiration of the legal deadline does not automatically imply a violation of the so-called “reasonable time.”
Defense arguments and next steps
The position of Rodríguez’s legal representatives is based on the interpretation of Law 97-25 and the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court. According to their arguments, the concept of a “reasonable time” must be aligned with the maximum limit of four years, therefore, having exceeded this time without the defendant being responsible for the delays, the criminal action should be declared extinguished.
The defense maintains that the court committed a legal error by separating the expiration of the statutory deadline from the guarantee of a reasonable timeframe, and therefore they will appeal to the Court of Appeals so that a higher authority may resolve this legal dispute.
Case context
Jean Alain Rodríguez is the main person accused in a corruption scheme that, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigations, operated during his tenure at the head of the Attorney General’s Office in the 2016-2020 period. Along with him, 16 other people face charges for the alleged embezzlement of more than 6 billion pesos from public funds.
- The judicial process spans a period of nearly six years of investigation and litigation.
- The Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses a corruption network made up of 17 individuals.
- The defense reiterates that the former attorney general has not been responsible for the obstacles or delays in the development of the trial.
