This Friday, April 24, the trial was held against Ronny Rodríguez and William Pittí, former members of the Intelligence Directorate of the National Security Council, for the alleged crime of embezzlement within the Pinchazos Case.
This is a process related to the loss of a machine used to intercept communications, popularly known as a tapping machine, which was valued at more than 13 million dollars and whose whereabouts are unknown. The defendants, according to the prosecution, were responsible for the management and custody of the equipment which was purchased with money from the Social Investment Fund (FIS).
After more than 11 years on the run, Rodríguez and Pittí surrendered at the end of March of this year and on Monday, April 20, they had their first hearing. However, this was suspended because the plaintiff did not appear and it was this Friday that the trial took place.
This Friday’s hearing began around 9:30 in the morning at the Gil Ponce Palace of Justice before the Criminal Cases Settlement Court. Judge Águeda Rentería did not allow media access to the hearing, which lasted until around 2 pm without any recess being granted.
During the trial, both the prosecutor and the defense lawyers presented their arguments and are now waiting for the judge to issue her conviction or acquittal sentence.
“Obviously we request a conviction based on the evidence found in the file as maintained by the judge,” said the anti-corruption prosecutor, Javier Cuadra Herrera, at the end of the hearing.
He explained that testimonies were presented from several people who indicated that the technological equipment was located in Building 150 of the Security Council. “Putting all these statements together they show that, in fact, Messrs. Ronny Rodríguez and William Pittí maintained control over this building and what was inside it,” said Cuadra. He added that the minimum penalty for this crime is 5 years in prison.
For his part, defense lawyer Alejandro Pérez was satisfied with the allegations presented and is confident that his clients will be acquitted.
“I have no doubt that the decision has to be acquittal because we demonstrate with the same evidence that was in the file that this was a falsehood with the purpose of pressuring Ronny Rodríguez and William Pittí to testify against Ricardo Martinelli,” declared the defense lawyer.
Rodríguez and Pittí remained fugitives from justice for more than 11 years. According to their lawyer, they were in Colombia where they were kidnapped and threatened with death.
“Since they did not do it (testify against Martinelli), since they threatened to kill them, to put them in jail with the same criminals that they had imprisoned and since in the Republic of Colombia they kidnapped them to kill them, they had 11 years outside the national territory,” Pérez justified. Both Pérez and the defense lawyer, Roniel Ortiz, named those they consider responsible for the alleged persecution.
“Rolando López Pérez, Juan Carlos Varela, Bethancourt, Jacinto Gómez, all those police officers who were behind Varela. But above all Rolando López Pérez, that was the sinister and evil mind behind this persecution,” the defense lawyers detailed.
Questioned about these accusations, prosecutor Cuadra responded that more evidence is needed to support them. “It is an issue that they pointed out at the time of the hearing, however, apart from what they said, there is nothing to prove these threats so far. We found out today at the hearing,” he explained.
This case is being carried out under the old Mixed Inquisitorial System. The defendants participated via video call. According to both the defense lawyers and the prosecutor, the reason was due to logistical issues of transportation and security. The defense lawyer, Alejandro Pérez, explained on Monday that his clients remain in the custody of the National Police, since they are police officers.
Both Rodríguez and Pittí must face a second trial, this time for crimes against the inviolability of secrecy and the right to privacy. This hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday, April 29.
“That (hearing) is more substantial, because it involves the same punctures in which Ricardo Martinelli was dismissed twice,” Pérez explained. The lawyer announced that he will present witnesses for that hearing, adding that he decided not to present witnesses at this Friday’s hearing because he hoped to finish the process quickly. “We want quick trials, because these boys have been in prison for about a month and a half and we want them to get out of jail as quickly as possible,” he concluded.
