No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimeCourt acquits ex-minister Roberto Dobles of graft

Court acquits ex-minister Roberto Dobles of graft

A San José court on Monday acquitted former Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles Mora of all charges that he illegally granted a contract to a private mining company connected to a relative while he was in office.

In 2006, the Environment and Energy Ministry, under Dobles, granted mining company Agricultura Mecanizada Chapernal a five-year permit to extract sand, stone and gravel from the bed of the Aranjuez River in Puntarenas province. Dobles’ uncle is on the board of directors of one of the company’s parent corporations.

The charges were filed based on the country’s Illicit Enrichment Law and the Mining Code, which prohibit public officials from granting permits or contracts to close relatives up to first degree of consanguinity.

Judges ruled that Dobles’ signing of the decree authorizing the mining contract was not unlawful because the company is owned by various corporations, and only one of them is related to one of Dobles’ uncle.

Dobles’ lawyer, José Miguel Villalobos, said the charges were baseless as Dobles only signed the decree as a minister, but the contract was granted by the Energy Ministry’s legal department. He also said the contract did not benefit Dobles as he does not have any relation to the company and therefore he was in compliance with provisions of the Mining Code.

The court also dismissed a ₡500 million ($925,000) civil lawsuit filed against Dobles by the Government Attorney’s office.

In January, Dobles was sentenced in a separate trial to a three-year suspended sentence for breach of public duty in granting the Canadian mining company Infinito Gold an open-pit gold mining concession in Crucitas, in the northern Alajuela canton of San Carlos, in 2008.

The court granted him five years probation during which he is also banned from holding public office.

Trending Now

Tragic Blaze at Hotel Oriente Kills Five in Costa Rica Capital

A tragic fire ripped through the Hotel Oriente in central San Jose early this morning, leaving five people dead and sparking questions about building...

Costa Rica Traffic Accidents Drive Up Insurance Premiums

Costa Rica's roads have turned into a deadly trap, with traffic accidents claiming more lives and causing more injuries than ever before. On Friday,...

Learning Spanish Through Music in Costa Rica: Misheard Lyrics and Wins

One of the most challenging parts of learning a language is understanding songs in that language. In my early days of learning Spanish, I...

Costa Rica TSE Seeks to Lift President Chaves Immunity

Costa Rica's electoral tribunal has stepped up pressure on President Rodrigo Chaves by asking lawmakers to strip his immunity over claims of political interference...

El Salvador Bans Inclusive Language in Public Schools

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has taken another step to reshape the country's education system. On Thursday, he declared a complete ban on what...

US Revokes Visa of CRHoy Owner Amid Fraud Allegations

The US government revoked the tourist and business visa of Leonel Baruch, the businessman behind Costa Rican news site CRHoy. Reports connect the move...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica