SeNaSa Case: Court grants extension to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to deepen investigation
The Seventh Instruction Court of the National District has granted the Public Ministry an additional period of four months to continue investigations related to the alleged multi-million dollar embezzlement at the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa). The decision, led by Judge Deiby Timoteo Peguero, extends the instruction time until December 11, the date by which the prosecuting body is expected to present the formal indictment against Santiago Marcelo F. Hazim Albainy and the others involved in the scheme.
Ongoing investigations and scope of the case
The head of the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Administrative Corruption (Pepca), Mirna Ortiz, emphasized that the investigations are still ongoing and they do not rule out the involvement of more people in the process. As explained by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the complexity of the case and the discovery of a massive volume of documentation have been determining factors in requesting more time.
We continue working and rest assured that we will be presenting the cases as we have always done.
Mirna Ortiz, head of Pepca
Prosecutor Rosa Alba García detailed to the court that it was necessary to carry out raids to recover approximately 15,000 boxes of documents from a private company, which are essential for analyzing hundreds of thousands of suspicious financial transactions within the institution.
Legal status of the defendants
In addition to the extension of the deadline, the court ratified the pretrial detention for several of the defendants in the so-called Operation Cobra. Among those who remain under this measure are:
- Santiago Hazim Albainy, former executive director of SeNaSa.
- Gustavo Enrique Messina Cruz.
- Francisco Iván Minaya Pérez.
- Germán Rafael Robles Quiñones.
- Rafael Luis Martínez Hazim.
- Ramón Alan Speakler Mateo.
- Ángel Luis Guzmán Vásquez.
On the other hand, the court has applied alternative measures such as house arrest, financial guarantees, and travel restrictions for other individuals involved, such as Ada Ledesma Ubiera, Cinty Acosta Sención, Heidi Mariela Pineda Perdomo, and Eduardo Read Estrella, adjusting to their particular circumstances and health conditions.
The charged crimes
Alofoke Deportes recalls that the Public Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the accused were part of a structure that caused losses of billions of pesos to the State. The authorities have classified the acts under a series of serious crimes, including:
- Criminal association and collusion of public officials.
- Prevarication and fraud against the State.
- Embezzlement and falsification of documents.
- Money laundering and bribery.
The full reading of the judicial resolution regarding this extension is scheduled for next September 25th, while the country remains attentive to the progress of this judicial process that seeks to clarify the management of public funds in the national health system.
