Galo Lara’s Judgment ratified by National Court

The Criminal Chamber of the National Court of Justice, headed by Judge Richard Villagomez, upheld the verdict against former Assembly member Galo Lara in the Quinsaloma case, which investigates the triple murder of a family in Quinsaloma, Los Rios, in August 2011.

The ratification comes after the appeals brought, one by Tania Vasquez, lawyer of the victims’ family, which asked the increase of the sentence to 25 years for those involved, and the change of Lara’s involvement from being an accomplice to the intellectual author of the crime.

The other appeal was filed by Juan Fernando R., the alleged perpetrator, who claimed that he was mot part of crime. The  appeals were rejected and the penalties were ratified.

The Criminal Chamber will ask the Judicial Council to investigate Juan Vizueta and Pedro Granja, lawyers  of the former Assembly member, for alleged criminal offences committed after issuing opinions before the appeal hearing.

Lara’s advocates didn’t attended to the diligence, arguing that their integrity would be compromised if government supporters gathered on the outside of the Court.