This Wednesday at 6 in the morning, the Fiscalia (Prosecutor’s Office) raided the home former Supreme Court magistrate Celso Gamboa, in search of evidence of alleged influence peddling linked to the Chinese cement scandal and Costa Rican businessman Juan Carlos Bolaños.
Gamboa is being investigated for the crimes of breach of duty, malfeasance, lack of duty of probity, influence peddling, abuse of authority, bribery and concealment of evidence.
Last April 10, Gamboa was removed from the bench by a majority vote of the Legislative Assembly. Of the 41 of the 57 legislators on hand for the vote, 39 voted to dismiss Gamboa, two abstained from voting.
According to a statement by the Ministerio Publico, the Wednesday morning raid was prompted by actions of legislators of the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), Marco Vinicio Redondo and Marcela Guerrero, who denounced on the legislative floor Gamboa calling them (on April 9) to ask them to “not show up” (to vote) or “get sick”.
“The search and seizure diligence is in process and the only thing I can inform you is that it is being carried within the scope of an investigation that was opened due to an alleged attempt to influence on the part of Mr. Celso Gamboa Sánchez,” explained the Fiscal General (Attorney General) Emilia Navas Aparicio during the early morning hours.
The search of the residence the Omega neighborhood, in San Diego de La Union, Cartago, began at 6 a. m. and concluded at 10:45 a. m.
Before noon, Gamboa left his home and reaffirmed that the purpose of the search was to gather evidence that the Prosecutor’s Office considered necessary. He reiterated, on two occasions, that he has always been in full cooperation with authorities and that he has nothing to hide or there is anything hidden.
“The crimes for which I am being investigated do not have custodial sentences,” said the former magistrate, before leaving his home with his lawyer and sister Natalia Gamboa Sánchez.
Source (in Spanish): La Nacion
