The Chief Prosecutor (Attorney General), Emilia Navas Aparicio, confirmed on Saturday that during the raid of the offices of Grupo Jurídico Especializado, in which legislator, former presidential candidate and lawyer Otto Guevara Guth has an office, found was ¢41 million colones (¢39 million colones and US$5,000) in cash.
Given this, the Ministerio Publico (Attorney General’s Office) began criminal proceeding against Guevera and his former brother-in-law, Ross, accusing them of ‘legitimating capital’.
The money was found in a safe under a stariwell.
The accusation was personally confirmed by Navas.
In a press release on Friday by the legislator and leader of the Movimiento Libertario (ML), worded in the third person: “Otto Guevara wishes to make it clear to the public, that the money seized in the search conducted in the law office where he has his law office (…), has no relationship with legislator Guevara Guth”.
The document adds: “Otto Guevara makes a respectful call to the Attorney General, Emilia Navas, so as not to mislead the citizenry, since that money has absolutely nothing to do with him.”
Judicial Action. Friday morning, the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) raided the law office (bufete in Spanish) of Grupo Jurídico Especializado, located in Los Yoses de Montes de Oca, in San Jose. The aim of the raid was to seize documents related to charges against the Guevara for the crime of providing falsehood in an affidavit.
The newly appointed Attorney General personally led the judicial action as it was a case against a member of the legislator or ‘supreme power’ and the intention was to gather electronic evidence and documentation to be used in the investigation, case 18-000040-033-PE that refers to statements that Guevara filed with the Contraloría General de la República (Office of the Comptroller General) between May 2014 and 2017. Supposedly Guevara omitted to report assets in his name, as well as his participation in a corporation.
Ironically, while the judicial search was being carried out, the legislator was participating a session of a legislative committee that investigates bank credits.
Guevara reacts. For his part, Guevara told the media he was “calm” because when he was asked to give his sworn statement, he detailed all his assets and liabilities.
“I do not know exactly what the Fiscala (Navas) is looking for, but I am very calm (…). The assets that I have are known by all, more, it is in the public record, people know where I live, the type of car I have (…) and there has not been an equity increase in these (last) four years, all the opposite,” explained Guevara.
In addition, the legislator described as “excessive” the behavior of the Attorney General. “My thesis or hypothesis is that the Fiscala (Navas) is not very happy with the criminal complaint that I filed against her and the director of the OIJ (Walter Espinoza),” concluded Guevara.
Source (in Spanish): La Nacion
