Public Ministry formalizes indictment against prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcántara for alleged acts of corruption
The Public Ministry has formally filed an indictment against prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcántara, requesting that the case be elevated to a full trial. The former member of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca) is accused of having used his position to demand money and material goods in exchange for benefits in a criminal investigation.
Case details
The motion was filed before the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of the National District by a high-level team from the prosecuting body, led by Deputy Prosecutor General Yeni Berenice Reynoso, Deputy Prosecutor General Wilson Camacho, and Prosecutor Andrés Octavio Mena Marte. The representatives of the Public Ministry requested the scheduling of the preliminary hearing to evaluate the evidence presented.
According to the investigation, the events originated during inquiries into an alleged corruption scheme at the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa). It is alleged that Valdez Alcántara contacted an individual under investigation following an interrogation in December of last year, establishing subsequent communication via instant messaging to specify his demands.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the accused conditioned his assistance in exchange for economic benefits, starting with a request for 200 thousand dollars, a figure that was subsequently reduced to 150 thousand dollars, in addition to requiring luxury goods such as a Rolex watch and a Mercedes Benz vehicle.
Procedural status and precautionary measures
The case took a definitive turn last March, when authorities carried out a controlled delivery of 10,000 dollars, which allowed for the execution of the arrest warrant against the prosecutor. Currently, Valdez Alcántara is serving pretrial detention at the Najayo Men’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center, in San Cristóbal.
The coercive measure has been ratified in various instances, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office has emphasized the importance of maintaining pretrial detention, as well as the restrictions on the defendant’s assets. The charges filed include violations of the Dominican Penal Code and Law 155-17 on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.
- Request for referral to trial on the merits.
- Proof of controlled delivery of 10 thousand dollars.
- Ratification of pretrial detention in Najayo.
- Accusation under Money Laundering laws and the Penal Code.
