Ofelia Taitelbaum’s lawyer, Fabio Oconitrillo, insisted that it is a debate with political dyes.
Oconitrillo also said that the proceedings before the Treasury were administered by an accountant named Vargas who died before the trial, so Taitelbaum was unaware of the efforts made.
The legal representative also described the victim’s testimony as “not credible, or honest.” Oconitrillo presented, before the Criminal Court of the Second Judicial Circuit, a series of arguments, to discredit the position of the Public Ministry.
The Prosecutor’s Office requested 12 years in prison against Taitelbaum, former Ombudsman, for material insolvency, for 39 crimes of use of false documents and coercion.
For example, Oconitrillo said that if there was a fault, it had to be processed in the administrative-tax route and not through the judicial route.
They are not Mrs. Otárola’s signatures, but neither are Mrs. Ofelia’s signatures,”
the lawyer insisted.
The lawyer also questioned that the debate became a social issue and said the victim never said she felt threatened.
Taitelbaum’s lawyer commented that the victim omitted information and discussed the reporter’s testimony. Oconitrillo explained that there are 19 calls between the victim and Taitelbaum’s accountant. In addition, it showed records of at least 11 telephone calls to the former head of the Ombudsman Office.
The vicitm, named Otárola, had problems to get an insurance in the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS). She found that, without her consent, she was registered as a consultant in a company linked to Taitelbaum.
According to the complaint published in the media, the seamstress would have received ¢32 million from that company in a period of five years. However, Otárola said she did not receive any money for that amount, so she had never declared before the General Directorate of Taxation of the Ministry of Finance.