Ecuador’s Comptroller General arrested, charged with corruption

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Ecuador’s acting Comptroller General Pablo Celi, was arrested on Tuesday, April 13, during investigations in a case of alleged corruption, reported the Attorney General’s Office.

“The Prosecutor’s Office executes arrest warrants against Pablo C., comptroller general (S); José A. B., former secretary of the Presidency; and 4 more people,” the Prosecutor’s Office said on Twitter.

The institution executed in the early morning 25 searches in Quito and Guayaquil, within the scope of an investigation opened in June 2019, for alleged organized crime related to acts of corruption in the public company Petroecuador, the Comptroller General’s Office and the General Secretariat of the Presidency.

In the searches, led by the Attorney General Diana Salazar, evidence related to the crime under investigation was found. In addition, “Luis Adolfo A. B., brother of the ex-secretary of the Presidency, and Andrés L. C.” were also arrested, added the Prosecutor’s Office.

Some 25 investigation teams, in coordination with police, participated in the searches in which evidence was collected, including documents, electronic devices, financial information, computers, cell phones, money and safes.

The Prosecutor’s Office also searched the offices “of Esteban C., brother of comptroller Pablo C.; and Natalia C., former advisor of former Petroecuador manager, Pablo F. Computers, cell phones, documents and US$32,580 dollars in cash were seized,” it published on Twitter.

The institution posted on the social network several photographs of the operation in the so-called “Las Torres” case conducted between Monday night and early yesterday morning, and in which a total of 8 people have been arrested.

After learning of the operations, Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno stressed his respect for the independence of the State’s functions.

“I have had knowledge of the arrests and searches that took place early this morning. As has been my custom from the first moment, my respect for the independence and autonomy of the functions of the State,” Moreno wrote on his Twitter account.

Source: DW

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