The Constitutional Court (CC) denied a definitive amparo to the former mayor of Chinautla, Arnoldo Medrano, and ordered a repeat trial in the Vivienda Digna case. Medrano was acquitted in this process.
The CC pointed out that the Court acquitted Medrano of committing the crimes of illicit association, embezzlement for theft and abuse of authority. Action that was appealed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, pointing out the violation of article 385 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, denouncing that there was a failure to observe the rules of reasoned sound criticism in the assessment of the evidence, especially the reports rendered by the experts, error that led to the issuance of an acquittal in favor of the accused.
Also read: Former mayor of Chinautla, Arnoldo Medrano, sentenced to 29 years in prison
.@CC_Guatemala definitively rejects protection of the former mayor of Chinautla, Arnoldo Medrano and orders the repetition of the trial for the case #Decent Housing of which he was acquitted in 2019 by the Thirteenth Criminal Sentencing Court. pic.twitter.com/V5sY4Df50k
— Sergio Osegueda (@Sosegueda2287) May 29, 2023
The Court that acquitted Medrano indicated that “there was not enough evidence” against the former chief mayor. The case stems from the alleged deviation of Q10 million for the construction of 200 homes in Chinautla.
However, High Risk Court C found former mayor Arnoldo Medrano guilty of corruption and sentenced him to 29 and a half years in prison for being the ringleader of the Chinautla Municipality case: a family business.
The judge handed down a sentence against Medrano for the crimes of illicit association, money laundering and fraud. In addition, he imposed a fine of Q25.7 million.
