Prisons shakeup starts with raids in cellblocks

Santo Domingo.- The Justice Ministry on Sunday ordered the transfer of 34 more inmates from, San Cristobal’s Najayo prison, to La Romana’s Correctional Center, which is managed with the new prison model.

Prior to the transfer Prisons Director Tomas Holguin headed a raid under heavy guard on Saturday, seizing RD$158,000, US$1,240, luxury watches, among other items from the inmate German Carmona, who is serving time for murder.

The inmates were placed in individual cells away from the others, where they’ll undergo a one-month evaluation period and then be inserted gradually to the general population.

Justice minister Francisco Dominguez said the transfers and elimination of privileges at Najayo will continue, until all inmates have the same rights.

He said the measure aims to eliminate overcrowding, corruption and the stark inequality in traditional prisons.

In the group figure convicts for drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, and other crimes, who were in special cellblocks and enjoyed various perks including conjugal visits.

Among those transferred figure Eddy Antonio Brito Martíne, Juan José Fernández Ibarra, Samy Dauhajre Dauhajre, condenados por el caso Figueroa Agosto, Frederick Guillermo Medina Abud, John Percival Matos, Anderson Romero Carmona, Amin Rafael Pereira Reyes, Carlos David Franco, Danny Leandre, Donato Rafael Luna Imbert, Edgar Jiménez Santana, Enmanuel Guerrero, Franklin Domingo Mota Santana, Félix Antonio Castillo, Félix Darío Burdier Núñez, Germán Roberto Carmona and Huberto Aridio Peña Gamba.

Also Janai Aminadad Vásquez, José Matos Felipe, José Ernesto Reyes López, José Fermín Taveras, José González, Luis Jiménez Pérez, José Luís de los Santos Roa, Jorge Ceferino Herasme Medina, y Julio Ernesto Pérez Feliz, Luís Rafael Díaz Mora, Marcos Antonio Gómez, Neoly Germen Reynoso Guzmán, Raúl Orlando Torres Cubides, Robinson Guarionex Santos Abreu, Vladimir Peralta Santos, Vladimir Antonio Suárez Pérez and Víctor de la Cruz Montero.