Santiago judges will decide on preventive detention for those accused of major healthcare embezzlement
Several former officials of the Cibaeño Patronage Against Cancer face legal proceedings over the alleged diversion of thousands of millions of Dominican pesos that were meant to provide care for cancer patients.
Santiago judges will decide on preventive detention for those accused of major healthcare embezzlement
Magistrates of the Permanent Attention Court of the Santiago Judicial District will rule on whether to impose restrictive liberty measures on a group of people accused of participating in a corruption scheme known as Operation Onco14. The estimated economic damage exceeds 3,700 million Dominican pesos.
The allegedly embezzled funds belonged to the National Health Insurance and the Cibaeño Patronage Against Cancer. According to the fiscal's accusation, the money should have been used to cover treatment for cancer patients treated at the Regional Oncology Institute of the Cibao.
The detainees include three former leaders of the Cibaeño Patronage: Héctor Antonio Lora Cruceta, Luisa Yasiris Guzmán and Dilcia Isabel Vargas Sánchez. Police officers arrested them during raids carried out in the context of this investigation.
The inquiry also reaches two organisations: the firm Vargas Lora & Asociados and the Foundation Tócate RD - Casa de Acogida. Prosecutors suspect that these entities would have acted as part of the network that illegally channelled the resources.
As proceedings advance, the court must rule on whether to accept the request for coercion presented by the Public Ministry.
Information from Noticias SIN
Source: Google News CL — Santiago