The federal judge of Mendoza, Walter Bento, is investigated in criminal justice as the leader of an illegal association / Photo: File.
The federal judge with electoral competence of Mendoza Walter Ricardo Bento was suspended this Wednesday from his duties by the Council of the Magistracy, which decided to promote his dismissal process for “bad performance” of his position.
The decision was made this Wednesday unanimously during a Council plenary chaired by Horacio Rosatti, in which there was only partial dissent in the 19 votes of those present. Bento is investigated in criminal justice as the leader of an illicit association.
Two weeks ago, the Council’s Accusation Commission approved, with the vote of the opposition councilors and the abstention of the pro-government members, the start of the impeachment process of the Mendoza judge, for the alleged poor performance of his duties.
In parallel to the Council’s process, Bento will face a trial against him on July 26, accused of charging prisoners for drug trafficking and smuggling in exchange for benefits.
The deputy counselor Rodolfo Tailhade considered that Judge Bento has to give explanations / Photo: File.
In this complex scenario, the Mendoza judge offered his discharge in October of last year in two stages that added up to more than 7 hours of exposure before the counselors, to whom he told them he was “innocent” and had not committed “any crime.”
His explanations did not convince the councilors who approved the process in the commission with the votes of the opposition councilors and the abstention of the official supporters due to “inconsistencies” in the ruling.
“Our bloc decided not to follow this opinion but it was not an opposition to the accusatory statement, much less a blockade and not to mention a defense of the magistrate, who clearly has to give explanations,” said the deputy councilor Rodolfo Tailhade, in a post on your video platform.
“The opinion did not measure up to the seriousness of the facts,” explained the counselor, adding that it was “an inconsistent accusatory opinion, which did not seriously treat the evidence that was produced throughout the investigation and did not refute the arguments of discharge presented by Bento”.
In addition to the Bento case, the plenary will try to agree shortlists to cover charges in criminal oral courts and in courts of fiscal and tax executions.
