A Court of Appeals upheld the ruling that sends to oral and public trial the second case against the former governor of the Central Department, Hugo Javier González, and other defendants accused of the alleged embezzlement of public funds exceeding G. 18.3 billion.
The Sentencing Court scheduled the start of the trial for February 3, 2027, at 8 a.m., in the case investigating alleged irregularities in the management of resources from the Central Department government.
The appellate decision was issued after one year and nine months of review, during which the appellate judges concluded that there are no grounds for nullity that would invalidate the ruling of the guarantees court. In this regard, the court stated that the decision was issued in accordance with the forms provided for by current legislation, upholding the appealed ruling in all its parts.
The former governor already has a prior conviction of 10 years in prison, upheld on appeal, in a case linked to the alleged embezzlement of G. 5.105 billion in funds earmarked for the COVID-19 health emergency. The new case is related to alleged irregularities in the use of the Central Department government's own resources.
According to charges filed by the Public Prosecutor's Office, the defendants allegedly set up a scheme to carry out transfers intended for the supposed execution of 51 projects, channeled through various organizations. Among them are the Central Department Regional Health Council, the Integran Professional Support Association, the Plantemos Conciencia Association, the National Center of Popular Organizations, and the Ecodesarrollo Association.
The transfers under investigation were allegedly made between March 2019 and December 2020, in supposed violation of legal provisions. For the Prosecution, of the G. 24,424,032,733 disbursed, the financial loss to the Central Department government amounts to G. 18,384,427,005.