2024-09-01 00:53:18
Ángel Lindao Vera, former judge of La Concordia, is the fifth person sentenced in the Metástasis Case. He was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
The abbreviated proceedings in the Metástasis case continue to clarify how the judicial corruption network worked. This time, Ángel Lindao, former judge of La Concordia, admitted that he received a bribe to favor drug trafficker Leandro Norero.
At the National Court of Justice (CNJ), Associate Judge Manuel Cabrera continues to analyze the reduced sentences for 10 of the 52 defendants in the Metástasis case, who accepted their guilt and submitted to fast-track trials.
On the morning of July 23, 2024, it was Lindao’s turn. Prosecutor Diana Salazar, connected telematically, was in charge of presenting Lindao Vera’s case to Cabrera and requesting a 40-month sentence against her.
After a brief deliberation, Deputy Judge Cabrera decided to accept the request of the Prosecutor’s Office and sentenced former Judge Ángel Lindao Vera to 40 months (three years and four months) in prison.
In addition, the court ordered the payment of USD 5,520 and compensation of USD 11,040 to the Ecuadorian State. It also ordered the publication of the sentence in a media outlet and on the website of the Judicial Council. It also ordered a public apology.
The Metastasis case and Judge Lindao
Salazar began by saying that following the murder of Leandro Norero, alias ‘El Patrón’, in Cotopaxi Prison, investigations found several pieces of evidence, such as the drug trafficker’s telephones, from which he directed a judicial corruption structure.
According to the chats found on those phones, the corruption structure was created from Cotopaxi Prison with the objectives of achieving impunity, security in the prison and the release of Norero, his wife and his brothers, who had been arrested and prosecuted for money laundering in May 2022.
Lindao is accused by the Prosecutor’s Office of collaborating with that structure. As a judge of the Multi-Competent Unit of La Concordia, in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, he heard a protective action to release part of the assets seized from Norero after his capture. Specifically, a luxury house in Riberas del Batán, an exclusive area of Samborondón, in Guayas.
Lindao accepted the protection action and ruled in Norero’s favor, even though the house and the original money laundering case were in Guayas and he was in La Concordia. In other words, he was not competent by territory.
Panoramic view of Leandro Norero’s house, located in a residential area on the road to Samborondón.Social networks
Chats revealed Lindao’s ‘suicide’
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, there is various evidence of Lindao’s corruption in Norero’s chats with his collaborators. For example, an expense report was found sent by Helive Angulo, alias ‘Estimado’, to Norero.
In that report, “J-LIBERATION OF CASA BATÁN” was noted, along with the figure of USD 50,000. That is, that is the bribe that Norero – through his lawyers – paid to Lindao in exchange for the return of the mansion in Samborondón.
In those messages, Norero spoke with Angulo and with Cristian Romero, another of his lawyers who is now a fugitive, and they repeatedly spoke of the “J” (judge) of La Concordia, who “committed suicide” to return the house in Riberas del Batán to him.
In addition, screenshots of other conversations were found on one of Norero’s phones. In one of these, the interlocutor was identified as “Dr. Angel Lindao” and wrote “I will notify.” In total, 31 chats were found in relation to Lindao.
The protection action was filed by the Panamanian company Lionff Realty Inc, which was represented by Carlos Párraga, now identified as a member of Norero’s money laundering network.
By: PRIMICIAS