Santo Domingo. – The seemingly ancient case against the banker Leonel Almonte has finally reached the closing arguments, when the plaintiffs revealed on Thursday that they’ll request 15 years in prison for the ex president of the collapsed bank Universal.

Ricardo Diaz, the lawyer for the plaintiffs Cristian C. Caraballo, Rainilda Rodriguez and Rosa N. Caraballo, said Almonte, accused of conspiracy, fraud and breach of trust, also faces a stiff fine. “We’ll ask for the restitution of 82,744,877 dollars, the payment of the penal costs for the proceedings.”

He said the ex banker’s defense didn’t present any evidence in court, which in his view means that “he’ll be convicted, because they don’t have a way to demonstrate the contrary.”

Almonte is accused of defrauding three depositors of the Universal bank and group out of RD$100 million.

Since 19 May 10 witnesses have taken the stand during 12 hearings conducted in the case which began in the late 1980s, when the authorities shuttered the Universal and seized its properties.

SOURCE: Clavedigital.com