American Expatriate Costa Rica

Judge archives case against former president

Miguel Angel Rodriguez accompanies by unidentified judicial officer PABLO Montiel

The Criminal Tax Court has issued a dismissal for the case against former president of the Republic Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría, which had caused a scandal with the National Insurance Institute (INS). Also cleared where various officials with INS and Rónald Bonilla Rodriguez, former head of Insurance Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE).

Charges included embezzlement and use of public property for personal benefit. At issue were an apparent $2.1 million payment from London-based reinsurer PWS to former state employees, and other payments and commissions made by British travel companies.

The case failed when a judge excluded evidence that had been gathered in Panama and United States because it lacked a search warrant issued in Costa Rica.

Source La Nacion