Spanish
Santo Domingo. - Criminal lawyer Cándido Simón warned this Friday the former administrators of the Electricity Distribution Companies (EDES) that “they should sleep with their clothes on”, due to their involvement in illicit businesses with Maxi Montilla, brother-in-law of former president Danilo Medina.
"The key figures are going to be the former administrators of the EDES. I think they should sleep with their clothes on," Simon affirmed.
During an interview on the program Matutino Su Mundo, the jurist explained that, if Montilla testifies against him, criminal proceedings will be opened, although there is the possibility of agreements to compensate the State for damages, given that the crime of corruption is mainly economic in nature.
Alternative agreements: origin and effectiveness
The jurist pointed out that, as it is an economic crime, the former officials could opt for agreements to compensate the damages to the State, following a North American model of negotiated justice.
"The crime of corruption is essentially economic and the pre-bargaining system allows for the resolution of conflicts and the compensation for the damage caused," he pointed out.
He pointed out that this mechanism has been effective even in high-profile international cases, such as that of the former president of Panama, Maduro Vega, prosecuted in the United States for drug trafficking.
New procedural line of the Attorney General
The lawyer also referred to the procedural line adopted by the prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso, who prioritizes alternative solutions in conflicts, including gender violence. According to Simón, this policy focuses on fewer judicial processes and more asset recovery, avoiding prolonged trials that result in low convictions and high costs for the State.
Likewise, she explained that a pilot plan of "Houses of Justice" is being implemented, community prosecutors aimed at resolving minor conflicts without judicializing them. This model seeks to address family and community problems directly, replicating previous experiences promoted by the attorney general in Santiago and the National District.
The State wins with agreements
Simón highlighted that in the case of Maxi Montilla, the State "wins" because it recovers the stolen funds without the need to keep him in prison. It is preferable to recover what was stolen than to prolong a judicial process with low sentences. "Corruption is an economic crime, and modern criminal policy mandates recovering what can be recovered. This agreement is preferable to a criminal trial that would end with a relatively low sentence," he concluded.
