Lobo To Be Key
"State Witness"
In The
ICE-Alcatel Case
The key witness
against former
president,
Miguel Angel
Rodríguez and
eight others on
trial in the
ICE-Alcatel case
will be José
Antonio Lobo
Solera, who as
part of his deal
with the
Ministerio
Público, paid
the state us$1.5
million dollars
and will give
testimony
against the
accused.
José Antonio
Lobo Solera,
Lobo is the key
to the
prosecution's
case against the
nine accused of
corruption after
the French
telecom paid out
millions of
dollars in
bribes to obtain
the contract to
install 400.000
GSM lines in
Costa Rica in
2001.
In addition to
the money, Lobo
also handed over
to the state two
vehicles, a
Mercedes Benz
and VW Golf,
according to the
state attorney,
Gilbert Calderón.
The terms of the
deal were the
focus of
controversy on
Monday, the
first day of
trial, when the
defendants
demanded that
time to analyze
its contents
before
continuing with
the trial. The
court granted a
three day stay,
the trial is
expected to
resume on
Friday.
The Ministerio
Público says
that Lobo was
the go between
Alcatel's people
and former
president
Rodríguez.
Alcatels' Latin
America
president
pleased guilty
in Miami court
last year,
admitting to
paying bribes in
Costa Rica to
obtain the
contract.
Lobo, in return
for his
testimony and
handing over
cash and
vehicles and his
testimony
against the
accused, will be
sentenced to
four years
prison, a date
that has yet to
be fixed.
José Antonio
Lobo Solera was
the "inside" man
for former
president
Rodríguez, "the
man of
confidence of
the president, a
piece pawn that
can be used and
moved to suit
the interests of
the president",
as described by
the Fiscal,
Warner Molina.
The Ministerio
Público insists
that the alleged
crime committed
by the former
president is
greater than the
rest as he was
president at the
time of the
alleged act of
corruption,
allegedly
demanding a
60/40 split in
his favour of
the proceeds
from the Alcatel
payment.
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