Fiscal General Avoids Investigation of Abuses And Gets Pay Hike In the Process
The Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court) said yesterday that it will not investigate the Fiscal General, Francisco Dall’Anese, following accusations by his security escort detail of abuses.

The head of the Servicio Policial de Intervención Inmediata (SPII) - the security unit protecting the Dall'Anese - made statements to the press last week of abuses by the Fiscal and his family, placing the life of his agents in danger and providing irregular services to all hours of the night.

The revelations caused a controversy prompting the courts to look into the matter. See story here.

The interim president of the Court, magistrate, Alfonso Chávez, said that a vote by the full court made yesterday resulted in 18 in support of the Fiscal and 2 against.

Chávez said that the arguments presented did not merit an investigation and that there were no irregularities and any investigation would infringe on the private life of the Fiscal. "The 24 hours, 365 days a year, security escort are at the disposal of the needs of the Fiscal", said Chávez.

Following the three hour hearing, the court decided to investigate the four SPII agents who complained to the Spanish language daily, Diario Extra, of the abuses by Dall'Anese.

Magistrate Chávez was emphatic that the investigation of the SPII officials, one of which has since retired, is not a reprisal for having made the complaints.

Jorges Rojas, director of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), of which the SPII units belongs to, said that the investigation is to determine who passed on information about the case to the press and that it should have been handled internally.

Dall'Anese got another boost of support following the announcement of the court's decision and that his request for a salary increase was approved.

Dall'Anese had requested last week a salary increase to that equal of a court magistrate. Chávez, in announcing the approval of the salary hike, did not disclose the Fiscal's salary, but did say that it was less than that of a magistrate.

Following the controversy, the Fiscal General now is being escorted by the Unidad de Servidores Judiciales and no longer by the SPII.