The release of Telmo Castro will be investigated

Ecuadornews:

The Minister of Justice (e), Ernesto Pazmiño, insisted on investigating not only the judge, but the director of the center and the delegate who attended the hearing. The president of the National Council of the Judiciary (CNJ)Transitory, Marcelo Merlo Jaramillo, announced that he ordered the provincial delegation in Guayas the start of investigations and an administrative summary of the judge Andrea Moreno Silva.

OnJuly 31, Moreno Silva granted the pre-release of Telmo Castro, former member ofthe Armed Forces and sentenced to 13 years for drug trafficking.

The case came to light last week after one of the witnesses in the case in the United States against the “Chapo” Guzmán, leader of the Sinaloacartel, spoke of the collaboration of the Ecuadorian military with Mexican drugtraffickers.

In2009, Castro was arrested in the “Anniversary” operation, in whicheight tons of cocaine were seized. He accepted the penalty reduction system and was arrested again in 2013. Merlo’s decision came after the transitory CNJmember, Zobeida Aragundi Foyaín, formalized a request on the morning of thisMonday, December 17.

Aragundial so asked to refer the case to the Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE)for investigation. According to her, there are “presumptions that corruption could exist”. The Minister of Justice (e), Ernesto Pazmiño,joined the investigation request and pointed out that there are details of the judge’s decision that are striking.

Hementioned, for example, that it is strange that Moreno has resolved the request for pre-release five days after Castro’s request, when there are people waiting months for the same benefit. He added that requirements had been evaded and oneof them is that the sentenced person served his sentence in the high security system, instead of minimum security, as determined by the rules. Nor would there have been the respective report of the Regional Commission of Justice.

Pazmiño stressed that other related officials will be investigated and sanctioned. Hementioned, among them, the director of the Social Rehabilitation Center, Grace Olvera, and the lawyer José Pineda Pincay, judicial representative, of whom he said he should not have even attended the hearing.

On the possibility of Castro returning to prison, he said that it could happen if he failed to comply with the alternative measures dictated. For example, do not appear every 15 days in the Criminal Unit of the North of Guayas. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/judicial/12/justicia-telmo-castro