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COSTA RICA |
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Calderón
And Company Verdict Due Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Monday, October 5, is an important
day in the legal history of Costa Rica, as
the court decision in the Caja-Fischel case
is due at the Goicoechea courthouse, when
former president, Rafal Angel Calderón (1990
- 1994) and seven others will learn their
fate.
To ensure that the area around the Segundo
Circuito Judicial de Goicoechea does not
turn into complete caos, some 10 Tránsito
(traffic) officials will be assigned to
control traffic, said Tránsito director,
Germán Marín.
Although the reading of the court decision
will be in the afternoon, Marín said that
traffic control will begin in the morning
and is asking anyone that does not have to
be in the area, not to do so, to avoid the
expected congestion.
The three judges of the Segundo Circuito
Judicial de Goicoechea will begin the
reading of the sentence at 2:30pm.
Former president Calderón and six others
accused of embezzlement and fraud stand to
spend up to 23 years in jail each, while the
former president of the Fischel Corporation,
Walter Reiche faces 8 years for his
collaboration with the prosecution.
On the other side of the coin, Calderón can
be vindicated, the court supporting his
position all along that he did nothing wrong
and his participation was part of a normal
course of business.
Either way the afternoon court session will
attract interest from a large group of
people.
The trial began late last yeard and ended
two weeks ago, as the Ministerio Público
presented its evidence and testimony in its
attempt to prove that the eight individuals
defrauded the Costa Rican people.
Briefly, the eight are alleged to have
siphoned off a part of the us$39 million
dollar loan from the government of Finland
for the purchase of medical equipment by the
Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) -
Costa Rican social security - by way of the
Fischel Corporation.
The ministerio Público presented its case of
how Calderón, the former president of the
CCSS and managers, along with the former
president of the Fischel Corportation and
its legal advisior, conspired together to
defraud the state.
The case came to light when Eliseo Vargas,
former president of the CCSS and former
legislator, was living in a luxurious home
in one of Costa Rica's most upscale
districts, Lindora de Santa Ana, a house
paid for by the Fischel.
Calderón and six others have denied any
wrong doing on their part. Reiche is alleged
to have a made a deal with the Ministerio
Público to help them in the case.
Calderón is also the 2010 presidential
candidate for the Partido Unidad Social
Crisitiana (PUSC) party.
The court decision will come two days ahead
of the official start of the 2010
presidential elections and would leave the
PUSC party without a leader if Calderón is
found guilty.
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