LA VEGA.- Periodic appearances and a travel ban were the measures issued by the Permanent Attention Court of the Judicial District of La Vega against the owners of the R&S Multimuebles SRL furniture store, whose building collapsed last January causing the death of Yasiris Joaquín de Jesús, 31, an employee of the company.
The sentence was made known to the parties via the secretariat of the Vega Palace of Justice, by Judge Fernando Arturo Abreu, against Jesús María Sánchez Lantigua and Jorge Alberto Rosario Marte, owners of the business.
The Public Prosecutor's Office accuses them of involuntary homicide, and also requested a seizure order for an amount of RD$ 50 million pesos for the economic compensation of the victims.
"No real coercive measure was imposed on the commercial entity, despite having been duly justified; the process continues against them and the company as a legal entity," Aura Luz García, head prosecutor of the Public Ministry in the locality, told Diario Libre, adding that the Court's decision will be appealed and that they will continue with the accusatory process.
“With the measure imposed, the judge understood that there was merit for the imposition of a coercive measure because all the conditions for it were met, however, we do not agree with it and we will be considering the corresponding appeal because as a legal entity we requested a coercive measure from the company and it did not impose the requested measure or any other,” he explained.
The building collapse occurred on January 18, causing the death of employee Yasiris Joaquín de Jesús, and several of her colleagues suffered injuries to different parts of their bodies, as they were trapped in the rubble.
Judge thunders
Prior to the start of the hearing on coercive measures against the businessmen, Judge Fernando Arturo Abreu denied that he had received money and instructions to favor defendants in the case in question.
"We are tired of cretinous merchants selling dreams profiting from our honor," the magistrate said.
He indicated that highly credible sources informed him of alleged rumors from people who had spread what he understands to be lies that only seek to defame the honor of the Judicial branch.
"This judge has been informed that rumors have been spread, including that this judge received a million-dollar sum to favor this party, which is the opposing party, and another, that this judge has received instructions to lean towards the accused party," the judge stated.
The Public Prosecutor's Office was represented at the hearing by the prosecutors, Welintong Gómez and Esperanza Graciano.
