Woman in eye of the land titling scandal behind bars

THE FORMER  Director of the Land Titling Authority, at the center of the land titling scandal in Juan Hombrón, Cocle, is spending the weekend behind bars.

After questioning Anabelle Villamonte, for over four hours on Thursday, the Attorney General, José Ayú Prado ordered her arrest.

She was the lawyer for companies involved in obtaining  free title to 54 hectares  of  land, originally intended for poor sharecroppers. The transfers were approved when he moved to Anati. Later, she  resigned as Director of Anati  during a scandal over the free transfer of a valuable plot of land in Paitilla. After that the Juan Hombrón transfers were exposed. Villamonte was charged under in Article 416 of the Penal Code, which includes in the  crimes of processing, approval and  non compliance with urban planning.

Her questioning ended afte 6:00 pm and  she was sent to the cells of the Judicial Investigation Department (DIJ). Questioning resumed on Friday, and she was returned to the cells in Ancona with more questioning scheduled for Monday, December 19