Rodríguez Trial
Hits Snag On
First Day
The trial of
Miguel Angel
Rodríguez and
eight others in
the case known
as ICE-Alcatel
hit a snag on
the first day of
hearing., as the
court suspended
hearings until
Friday to allow
defence
attorneys to
review the deal
agreement
between the
state's key
witness, José
Antonio Lobo and
the Fiscalía.
Lobo turned
state evidence
against his
former friends,
making a deal to
testify against
his
co-defendants
for a lesser
sentence.
It is the
details of that
deal and the
absence of Lobo
in the
defendants chair
that raised
questions by
defence
attorneys.
Eduardo Araya,
defence lawyer
for Rodríguez,
said that if
Lobo's name is
mentioned in the
accusations
against his
client for acts
of corruption,
he should also
be among the
suspects.
The key figure
in this process
is without a
doubt, José
Antonio Lobo,
and his not
present at the
hearings. That
is our
complaint, that
the main player
in the case is
absent", said
Araya.
Rodríguez as
several other
accused said
that they have
proof of the
lies that are
part of the
accusations by
the Fiscalía and
it will be up to
the Ministerio
Público to prove
that he (Rodríguez)
ever received
any money in the
case.
The trial is
expected to run
for months with
more than 100
witnesses giving
testimony for
and against.
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