Morelos: Former Head of State Treasury was linked to the process for the second time

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA) of Morelos reported that they obtained for the second time the link to the prosecution against the former secretary of finance of the state government and three other officials for allegedly paying more than 32 million pesos to a company for the purchase of stationery that was never delivered.

In a statement, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA) explained that the authorities found documentary and testimonial evidence presented against Jorge Michel Luna, as well as the general treasurer, Armando Sanders, the undersecretary of the budget Jorge Sánchez, and the general director, Carlos Rodríguez, as determining factors.

“A judge linked the former secretary of the Treasury of Morelos, Jorge “N”, to the trial for the crime of Aggravated Embezzlement and Armando “N” former treasurer general for improper exercise of public service, as well as Jorge “N” former undersecretary of the budget and Carlos “N” former general director of the budget,” said the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA) ) from Morelos.

Allegedly, the four former government officials of Graco Ramírez paid 32 million 889 thousand pesos for stationery to Bonette Logística Comercial S.A. de C.V., unduly disposing of resources from an item for the payment of social aid, so far there is no evidence that the material has been delivered.

According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA), it was in 2017 that the then public officials authorized payments to the company, in excess of the amounts established for the purchase of stationery from the Executive Branch, making 82 payments, some of them greater than two million pesos, without involving the Prosecutions Unit Procurement and Contracts (UPAC). Similarly, it was detailed that there is no record of application for stationery; therefore, the processes governing these purchases and their amounts were not complied with, nor were the supply of the material and its entry into warehouses reviewed.

For this reason, a judge of the entity decided to bind former officials for the second time and granted three months for the closure of the investigation.

On March 15, the same state agency reported that Jorge Michel Luna and two other former officials of the Graco Ramírez administration were linked to prosecution for allegedly paying 21 million pesos to a company for the purchase of stationery that never existed. According to a statement issued by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA), the former Treasury Secretary was charged with the crimes of Embezzlement and Abusive Exercise of Duties, while the then Treasurer General Armando Sanders was charged with the crime of Unlawful Exercise of Public Service.

On that occasion, Michel Luna allegedly paid 21,735,000 pesos for the irregular purchase of stationery, since there was no contract validating the transaction, nor evidence that the goods were delivered by Praimberg Binomio Comercial S.A. de C.V.

During the hearing held on Monday, March 14, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA) presented more than 30 evidence, documentary and testimonial data, to prove that the former public servants allegedly committed the aforementioned crimes, as they authorized 76 payments to the company in question, during 2017 to spend a total of 21 million 735 thousand pesos.

In this regard, the judge imposed on former officials precautionary measures such as the periodic monthly signature and the prohibition of leaving the country.

Graco Ramírez was governor of the state of Morelos in the period 2012-2018 by the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), however, in 2022 at least 6 officials from his administration have been investigated and linked to proceedings by the State Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (FA). Such is the case of Topiltzin Contreras, former secretary of sustainable development of the entity, who was charged with the crime of improper exercise of service Public, as did Ivan “N”, former undersecretary of Sustainable Environmental Management and Noah “N”, former director general of Environmental Management.

Allegedly, the former public servants handed over a solid waste recovery plant located in Xochitepec without functioning, so a state judge granted four months for the investigation, as well as the precautionary measure not to leave the country was in effect. It is worth mentioning that this is the third link to the process that the former secretary of sustainable development of the state of Morelos faces for crimes of the same nature.

KEEP READING: