Legislative committee approves final report of Gabela case: ‘There is sufficient evidence of a possible state crime’

Ecuadornews:

The death of ex-commander of the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE),General Jorge Gabela, was related to his complaints about irregularities in theacquisition of Dhruv helicopters for the Armed Forces.

“There is sufficient evidence of a possible state crime,” concluded the National Assembly’s Multiparty Occasional Commission, after more than five hours of session, at 02:30 this Friday, November 16, 2018.

The final report of the Commission, which studied theassassination of General Gabela in 2010 in Guayaquil, mentions 68 people,including former President Rafael Correa; the former Minister of Justice andthe Interior José Serrano; to the former defense ministers Fernando Cordero andMaría Fernanda Espinosa; to former Justice Ministers Ledy Zúñiga and Lenin Lara;to the former security ministers, Homero Arrellano and César Navas, amongothers.

Tras la lectura del informe final, los legisladores que conforman la Comisión Ocasional #CasoGabela plantean sus observaciones al contenido del documento. pic.twitter.com/SEjP5qWeix

— Asamblea Nacional (@AsambleaEcuador) 16 de noviembre de 2018

Six of the seven Assembly members of the Commission approved the report: César Litardo, Ángel Gende, Noralina Zambrano, Sebastián Palacios, César Rohon and Janine Cruz. Marcela Aguiñaga abstained, akin to Rafael Correa.

During the reading of the document, details of what happened during the hiring of the seven Druv helicopters and when the accidents of three of these teams occurred. It was also indicated that the purpose of this report is to synthesize the investigation of the general’s murder, which was compiled in 59 pages.

The report also makes recommendations to different State institutions. Among them, the Financial Analysis Unit, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Interinstitutional Committee created in 2012 to investigate the case. On the morning of this November 16, the commission is expected to present the final document to the president of the legislature, Elizabeth Cabezas. Then it will be discussed in the Plenary Assembly.

The Commission recommends that its work be remitted to the Office of the Prosecutor, the Comptroller’s Office and the Financial Analysis Unit (UAFE). This report mentions 68 people. Among them is the former president Rafael Correa.

However, legislator Marcela Aguiñaga indicated that no part of the document establishes direct authors or accomplices. This document concluded that the death of the general was related to Gabela’s complaints about the purchase of Dhruv helicopters.

Another conclusion states that “there is sufficient evidence of a possible state crime.” Aguiñaga was dissatisfied with this aspect of the writing because he considers that the crime of State crime is not established in the Penal Code.

In the reading of the report, what happened during the hiring of the seven Dhruv helicopters and when the accidents of these teams occurred was detailed. It was also indicated that the purpose of this document is to synthesize the investigation of the general’s murder, which was compiled in 59 pages.

In this document he also makes recommendations to different stateinstitutions. Among them, the Financial Analysis Unit, the Prosecutor’s Officeand the Interinstitutional Committee created in 2012 to investigate the case. (I)

Source: https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/aprobacion-asamblea-informe-caso-gabela.html