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More Alcatel Kickbacks Uncovered
Slowly, the "Costa del Kickback"
monicker is sticking, as the
investigation into corruption at
the Instituto Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE) is continuing
despite the uncovering of the
"big fishes".
Pablo Cob, the president of the
institute, passed with flying
colours as investigators last
week sifted through his bank
records and other documents in
search of any anomalies or
unusual transactions.
However, Guido Sibaja, a former
assistant to Cob, did not have
the same luck.
Sibaja was called in for an
interview at the Fiscalia de
Delitos Económicos - the
prosecutor's office that
investigates financial crimes -
on Friday and was confined to
the comfort of his home, as
"house arrest" was ordered
against him.
As well, Sibaja, cannot leave
Costa Rica and must present
himself before the tribunals
every 15 days, as additional
measures.
Sibaja is accused of having
received us$125.000 from Alcatel
while he was an assistant to Cob
and headed the commission that
co-ordinated the installation of
the 400.000 cellular telephone
line contract ICE had awarded
the French telecommunications
firm.
Sibaja was quoted on Thursday in
the daily Spanish newspaper
La Nación has having made an
error and in a moment of
weakness had accepted the
Alcatel payment.
Where is Miguel Angel Now?
A report in today's edition of
the Spanish daily newspaper
La Nación says that the
whereabouts of former Costa
Rican president, Miguel Angel
Rodríguez, is unknown following
his resignation as Secretary
General of the Organization of
American States (OAS) on Friday.
The newspaper says that reports
that Rodríguez was headed for
Miami on Friday following the
announcement of his letter of
resignation. He could also be in
Houston, Texas, where his
daughter lives.
The paper says that sources
close to Rodríguez say he is
planning returning to Washington
on Monday,
Friday rumours were circulating
that Rodríguez was looking for a
save haven to refuge himself.
Venezuela was one country that
was rumoured to have offered
Rodríguez political asylum. The
Dominican Republic was also
mentioned as a possible
destination.
President Pacheco said that "no
country in the world believes
that Costa Rica is persecuting
him politically", when asked on
the possibility that Rodríguez
would not return to Costa Rican.
Pacheco added that he won't
hesitate to ask the United
States to expel him (Rodríguez)
when his immunity ends on
October 15.
The Fiscalía assures that they
don't have any proof that the
former president does not want
to come to Costa Rica or that he
won't. However, neither are they
sure that he will come.
Wanted
ICE Engineer Captured in
Nicaragua
Rodrigo Méndez Soto,
an Instituto Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE) engineer who
was restricted form leaving
Costa Rica, wanted by Costa Rica
for his role in the Alcatel-ICE
scandal, was captured Friday in
Nicaragua and was brought back
to Costa Rican territory on the
request of Costa Rican officials
with their counterparts in
Nicaragua.
Méndez was handed over by
Nicaraguan officials to the
agents of the OIJ (Organismo de
Investigacion Judicial) in Costa
Rica around 11pm Friday night at
the Peñas Blancas border point
between the two countries.
Méndez was held in the Liberia
court jail before being
transferred to San José to the
Segundo Circuito Judicial in
Goicoechea, where prosecutors
asked the courts for six months
of preventive detention against
him.
In Méndez's case, he won't be
spending time in the comfort of
his house under "house arrest"
as as ordered against his
conspirators - José Antonio Lobo
and Guido Sibaja - but will be
spending the six months at one
of the local jails, as the
prosecutor's office continues
it' investigations.
Méndez, an engineer at ICE, is
being accused of illegal
enrichment and conspiracy. Some
¢67.000.000 colones (us$149.000)
where found on him when he was
arrested.
Méndez is being accused of
having received us$55.000 from
the
Servicios Notariales Q.C
(related to Alcatel) and
us$77.000 from Fischel in the
Fischel-Caja scandal.
CONCACAF SOCCER:
Costa Rica blanks
Guatemala 5-0
Paulo Wanchope scored three
goals Saturday as Costa Rica
crushed visiting Guatemala 5-0
in CONCACAF World Cup
qualifying.
Desperate for a convincing win
on their home turf, the "Ticos"
came out focused and ready and
after a number of near misses,
and Carlos Hernandez beat
Guatemala goalkeeper Ricardo
Trigueno to make it 1-0 in the
19th minute.
Falling behind early was not
good for Guatemala, which never
was able to regain its rhythm.
The first score also appeared to
deeply shake Trigueno, who was
off his game and failed to stop
even the easiest Costa Rican
shots the rest of the evening.
Wanchope, a striker known as "Chope,"
got his first score in the 36th
minute when Alonso Solis laced a
free kick into the area which
Trigueno got in front of but
failed to control. The ball
squirted free to Wanchope, who
blasted home a point-blank
offering to stretch the
advantage to two goals.
Substitute Walter Centeno
controlled a loose ball, broke
free at midfield, then worked a
give-and-go with Wanchope, who
pushed the ball home from deep
inside Guatemala's zone to make
it 3-0 in the 62nd minute.
Veteran Rolando Fonseca,
returning to the national squad
after an injury had sidelined
him for three months, solidified
the lopsided final with a goal
in the 84th minute.
Costa Rica now has six points in
Group B, trailing leader
Guatemala by one. Honduras,
which drew 1-1 with Canada, is
in second place, also with six
points but ahead of Costa Rica
on goal difference.
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