Multiparty Commission approved final report in Gabela case

Ecuadornews:

At 02:27 this Friday, the Multiparty Commission of the Gabela caseapproved the final report of the investigation carried out where it isconcluded that the murder of General Jorge Gabela was the product of organizedcrime and that there is evidence of an alleged State crime.

The investigation started four months ago, concluded this morning, after a prolonged session where Patricia Ochoa was widow of Gabela, who in her speech asked to include the name of the former Minister of Defense, Miguel Carvajal, because in her opinion he also knew about the acquisition process of the Dhruv helicopters, while occupying the post of Deputy Minister.

Ochoa before the approval of the report thanked for the opening shown by the commission and said it will be an input for the Prosecutor to determine those responsible for the death of her husband. The report contributes in some way to giving peace to the Gabela Ochoa family, she said.

The reading of the report began at 21:15 this Thursday and ended at midnight; then the debate was opened where the legislators Marcela Aguiñaga (RC); César Rohón (PSC); and Jeannine Cruz (CREO) stated that Johana Pesantes, current legal secretariat of the Presidency, should be included in the list of persons who participated in the Interinstitutional Committee.

The final report, which contains 17 conclusions, highlights the possible existence of a “State crime”. This conclusion is reached after the analysis of facts such as the pre-contractual and contractual phases of the purchase of the seven Dhruv helicopters for use by the FAE, the impeachment trial of the former defense minister, Javier Ponce (who finalized the purchase); the audit reports made by the State Comptroller to that purchase, until the work of the Interinstitutional Committee created by Rafael Correa to investigate the assassination of Gabela in 2010.

The report does not determine the names of the direct perpetrators and means of murder, that action will be part of the judicial inquiries; It is also pointed out that the third report disappeared and it will be the Attorney General who will decide whether the expert Roberto Meza reconstructs or not the third product.

In the case of the recommendations, which are ten, the Financial Analysis Unit (UAFE) is asked to investigate the accounts of almost 70 officials and former officials who participated in the purchase, in the murder investigation, and in the government committee.

The first named is Rafael Correa, former ministers such as Fernando Cueva, María Fernanda Espinosa, now president of the United Nations (UN), Lady Zúñiga, Lenin Lara, José Serrano, current AP legislator; the former Comptroller, Carlos Pólit (fugitive from justice) for his involvement in the Odebrecht case, and dozens of other collaborators of the previous regime.

The legislator Marcela Aguiñaga (RC), presented her minority report where she insists that the murder of General Gabela was the product of common crime and warned that the conclusions of the approved report do not contribute to the judicial investigations.

The report that was approved at 02:27 and will become known to the plenary.

For this Friday at 11:30 it is expected that the president of theAssembly, Elizabeth Cabezas, will offer a press conference with César Litardo,president of the Multiparty Committee, regarding the content of the approveddocument. (I)

Source: https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2018/11/16/nota/7052955/comision-multipartidista-aprobo-informe-final-caso-gabela