How do you avoid justice in drug trafficking cases? The anti-narcotic agents have it very clear. There are several levels and several figures that allow to favor the defendants, despite the evidence. For example, there is a first level where prosecutors are, who can refrain from accusing, reformulating charges, accessing effective cooperation or abbreviated procedures that benefit detainees in penalties. If at that level they are not able to leave favored are the judges of first instance, there they can use different resources: exclude evidence, grant substitute measures or not call for trial.
If there the pressures do not work and the process continues, the next level is in the courts. In this instance, although the prosecutor acknowledges, the defendants can be declared innocent, the judges make use of the «reasonable doubt» or the vote saved. In courts (provincial or national), magistrates can ratify the sentence, but also reduce the penalty or declare the nullity. The options are many and there are cases where detainees are released and soon again apprehended for similar crimes. In this investigation we find examples of how judges and prosecutors use “reasonable doubt” to issue unusual sentences.
A singer from Guayaquil related to drug trafficking cases was released a few weeks ago. The same happened with three men who were found with 1 million dollars in the main terminal of the Main Port. The judges make use of the «reasonable doubt» to release them.
Read the full story in Spanish on this link