The Juzgado Penal de Hacienda in San José ordered Juan Carlos Quesada to three months preventive detention while the investigation into the missing ¢378 million colones taken from the Banco Nacional branch in Cobano continues.
Quesada, a manager at the bank, is the prime suspect in the “embezzlement” of funds from the bank.
In a television interview following his giving himsel up, he admitted taking the money and that he acted alone.
The money has yet to be found.
Quesada’s lawyer, José Miguel Villalobos, has argued that his client be charged with simple larceny, which meant a penalty of a few months to to up three years in jail. However, the Fiscalia charged with him emebezzlement with has a penalty of up to eight years.
The preventive detention is eliminate the suspect fleeing jurisdicition and hampering the investigation.
He will be held at San José’s San Sebastian jail, on the south side of San José.