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Government questions judicial ruling in favor of former minister Iván Espinel
Posted On 18 Feb 2019
Ecuadornews:
María Paula Romo, Minister of the Interior, described as “outrageous” that the Criminal Guarantees Court of Guayas ratify the state of innocence of the former Minister of Economic and Social Inclusion Iván Espinel, who is being prosecuted for the crime of embezzlement, related to alleged harm to the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security (IESS).
“This and other cases that offend the country oblige us to have our eyes set on justice. It is not possible to fight corruption and crime if prosecutors and judges do not do their part … “, Romo tweeted last Friday, an hour after the judges Erwin Logroño, Smirnova Calderón and Dora Vargas ruled in favor of Espinel and seven others processed.
The attorney general, Ruth Palacios, is dissatisfied with the decision of the Court and said that “for not taking into account the evidence presented” by the Attorney, “we will appeal forcefully…”.
Through a communiqué, the Council of the Judiciary (CJ) indicated that it will be pending of that appeal and of the ratification or revocation of the decision of the Court of Guayas. “The superior organ will verify -in addition- if the judges’ actions were in accordance with the law, otherwise the Judicial Council will initiate the respective disciplinary actions …”.
César García, Espinel’s lawyer, pointed out that as a procedural part the Prosecutor’s Office has the right to appeal, but clarified that the Public Ministry did not prove that Espinel harmed the State. “The only thing that the Prosecutor’s Office provided as evidence was the evidence of the criminal responsibility of the Comptroller’s Office and the testimony of the auditors …”.
García described as irresponsible the opinions of officials of the CJ and the Government “without even having read the cover of the file …”. He assured that the cases of money laundering and illicit enrichment against Espinel “will have to suffer the same fate …”. (I)
