Judge links Dominican Chief Justice to ´rulings-for-sale´ scandal

Santo Domingo.- Thecivic movement Citizen Participation (PC) revealed Thursday that suspendedjudge Awilda Reyes had admitted taking orders from former Judicial Councilmember Francisco Arias on behalf of Supreme Court chief justice Mariano Germán, linking him to the judiciary´s “rulings-for-sale” scandal.

Former PC coordinator FranciscoAlvarez said Reyes affirmed having handed down rulings favoring the accused inthe Torre Atiemar case and to release Pedro Brand city councilman and murdersuspect Ericson de los Santos, on direct orders from Arias whom she alleges hadsaid it was on German´s behest.

Interviewed on Colorvision Channel 9, Alvarez said however that intwo meetings between PC members and Reyes last week, the judge revealed that shewasn’t told how to rule in the case of the return of the plane to executivesof the failed Peravia Bank.

The Office of theJustice Minister has subpoenaed Reyes to appear Tuesday afternoon, but said shedidn’t know why she was summoned thus far.