Former prosecutor Ana Elizabeth Girala López was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for leading an extortion and corruption scheme at the San Lorenzo Prosecutor's Office. The sentencing court, composed of judges Yolanda Morel, Karina Cáceres, and Ana Rodríguez, found the crimes of malfeasance, passive bribery, aggravated passive bribery (bribes), consummated extortion, and attempted extortion to be proven.
Also sentenced were former fiscal secretary Griselda Beatriz Acha Alcaraz, to six years and six months in prison, and former assistant Christi Magalí Ortega Domínguez, to four years. Lawyers Liz Elena Martínez Robles and Marcos Aurelio Velazco Mendoza received sentences of three years and six months and two years and six months, respectively, for their collaboration in the scheme. Nélida Vicenta Alcaraz Bogarín was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The court determined that Girala used her position to obtain economic benefits, operationally directing her staff and steering cases to trusted lawyers. Investigations revealed that the group negotiated indictments, dismissals, and other procedural actions in exchange for money, with amounts ranging between 2 and 25 million guaranis. In one case, they even requested Christmas baskets as a form of bribe.
The case came to light following a complaint by Alcides Hermosilla, the father of a detained man. He reported that he was approached by then-secretary Griselda Acha and lawyer Liz Martínez, who demanded 25 million guaranis to secure his son's freedom. "I was desperate, I had nowhere else to get the money they asked for. I was afraid of them," declared Hermosilla, who, encouraged by his public defender, agreed to record the meeting, resulting in police intervention.
Alternative measures to imprisonment for the convicted individuals were maintained until the first-instance sentence becomes final. The full reading of the reasoning behind the decision is scheduled for next week.