The Criminal Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José rejected the precautionary measures filed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the owner of a farm and several officials for the apparent illegal use of land.
Landowner Pacheco, as well as three officials from the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), a forestry manager, and the legal representative of Playa Manzanillo S.A., a firm managing the construction of a luxury condominium in the area, are being investigated for the alleged crimes of land use change, ideological falsehood, and use of false documents related to the apparent damages.
Nonetheless, the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that an appeal would be filed against the resolution that rejected the precautionary measures.
“The Environmental Agrarian Deputy Prosecutor’s Office and the Deputy Prosecutor’s Office for Probity, Transparency, and Anticorruption informed that, after reviewing the resolution of the Criminal Court of Finance and Public Service, which rejected the precautionary measures requested by the offices, it was determined that the appropriate course of action is to file an appeal,” they said.
Meanwhile, Maylin Mora, director of the La Amistad Caribe Conservation Area, defended the institution’s decisions before the Legislative Assembly. “It was on the private property of the named person, and the trees were outside the boundaries of Gandoca Manzanillo,” she said.
During Tuesday’s hearing before Congress, the Minister of Environment and Energy Franz Tattenbach and Maylin Mora stated that the permits granted for logging in the area were given in accordance with the law.
“The corresponding audits were carried out, and what they indicate is that the permit granted is in accordance with the productive activity being carried out on the site,” mentioned Mora.
On the other hand, Tattenbach was rather terse in his statements. “From our point of view, when the permits were issued, as far as I saw, they were in order. Then the case was brought to court, and I am not going to comment further,” added the Minister.
On July 16, six raids were carried out at SINAC’s central offices in Heredia, as well as at the La Amistad Caribe Conservation Area in Limón. Raids were also conducted at several houses in Cahuita, Limón, Sarapiquí, and Curridabat.
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