COURT FOR HIGH-RISK MATTERS SENDS FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PRISON SYSTEM TO TRIAL IN AMATITLÁN CASE

Guatemala, March 27, 2012. Today, Judge Carol Patricia Flores, Court A for High-risk Matters, ruled to initiate proceedings against Vidal Efraín Requena Mazariegos (former Deputy Director of the Prison System), who—under the Amatitlán case—is accused of laundering money for his alleged ties to an organization involved in drug trafficking and murder.

The First Chamber of Criminal Appeals revoked the initial ruling of September 8, 2011, which was passed down by Judge Flores (giving Vidal Requena home arrest), and ordered that the accused party be remanded in custody.

The judge granted CICIG definitive participation in its role as a complementary prosecutor, and ordered that proceedings be forwarded to the Trial Court for High-risk Matters, which will take cognizance of the oral and public proceedings. 

Judge Flores ruled out the possibility of the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) and CICIG continuing to investigate passive bribery and criminal association charges against Requena. The possibility of appealing the decision is being considered.

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) acts as a definitive complementary prosecutor in this criminal proceeding.

The Amatitlán case concerns an armed confrontation that took place on April 24, 2009 between Police officers and alleged drug traffickers. Five National Civil Police officers died in the confrontation. At a later stage, authorities seized 370 kg of cocaine and a large arsenal of weapons from the site.