Costa Rican ex-lawmaker Justo Orozco faces another criminal complaint for alleged sexual abuse

The Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday confirmed that a second woman has filed a criminal complaint alleging sexual abuse by former Costa Rican Renovation Party lawmaker Justo Orozco Álvarez. The complaint was filed early Wednesday morning over an incident that allegedly occurred on Tuesday, the same day Orozco was arrested on sexual abuse charges filed by a different victim, who met with the evangelical politician in San José for a job interview.

The Prosecutors’ office reported that the case was submitted to the Sexual and Gender-based Crimes Prosecutor for investigation to evaluate if further precautionary measures should be levied against the defendant.

Orozco’s lawyer, Hugo Navas, on Thursday evening said he was unaware of the second complaint against his client and that the news has taken him by surprise.

The anti-gay former lawmaker, ex-presidential candidate and former head of the Legislative Assembly’s Human Rights Commission will face charges of alleged sexual abuse and deprivation of liberty against a female victim for events that occured in a motel in Pavas, west of the capital, on Tuesday. Orozco said the day of his arrest that he is innocent, calling the situation a “misunderstanding” and a “setup” by the alleged victim.

Authorities released Orozco from custody at 3:20 a.m. on Wednesday morning with precautionary measures including prohibition from leaving the country pending the outcome of his case, a restraining order and mandatory registration with the court every 15 days.

The Tico Times profiled Orozco in 2012. Read that story here.