QCOSTARICA – In a split decision, the Superior Council of the Supreme Court agreed to dismiss judicial inspector Jesús Ramírez Campos, for having used an official vehicle to go to a brothel.
The decision was taken last Thursday, when although the five members of the Council agreed that the action of the official was “very serious”, not all agreed on the punishment to be imposed.
Ramirez, 46, was caught on May 6, 2015 at a brothel during a sexual exploitation investigation by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) in Alajuela.
Although the official’s presence in the brothel was not the problem, the fact that he used an official government vehicle to and from, was.
The members in favour of dismissal were: Zarela Villanueva (President of the Court), Alejandro López and Milena Conejo; preferring for a 3 month suspension without pay were Ramiro Salvador Arauz, and Carlos Montero.
Ramirez, who is son of the Jesus Ramirez Quiros, a Judge of the Sala Tercera, worked as a judicial investigator responsible for investigating the conduct of public officials.
In the report by the Alajuela section of the OIJ, during their surveillance of the Alajuela brothel they noticed Ramirez, using a Poder Judicial vehicle (official Poder Judicial vehicles have special license plates), enter the brothel, remaining inside for some 30 minutes before leaving.
The OIJ raid occurred after the official left, resulting in the arrest of a man and two women on the charges of trafficking for sexual exploitation. See “Women Hired As Domestics Forced To Have Sex With Clients” story here.
This is not the first time Ramirez faced sanctions. In 2011, Ramirez was suspended for 30 days for falsifying travel expenses and taking time off work without permission. In that case, the Council also recommended dismissal, but punishment was reduced to suspension.
In addition to the dismissal, Ramirez also faces charges by the Ministerio Publico (Attorney General’s office) for the crime of embezzlement.
Source: La Nacion – Corte despide a inspector por ir a prostíbulo en auto oficial