Judicial System Under Scrutiny: Supreme Court Minister Files Charges Against Three Executives for Alleged Paid Services Related to Their Roles

Original article: Poder Judicial: ministra de la Suprema formula cargos contra tres jefes por presuntos servicios remunerados vinculados a sus funciones

A significant investigation is targeting three senior officials from the Administrative Corporation of the Judicial Power (CAPJ). Minister of the Supreme Court, María Cristina Gajardo Harboe, has formally charged these officials, accusing them of providing paid professional services, either directly or through a partnership, allegedly linked to their institutional duties.

The officials under investigation are Mario Lara Orellana, head of the Institutional Development Department (DDI); Esteban Paiva Jara, head of the Modernization Subdepartment; and Pablo Cabezas Fernández, head of the Innovation Laboratory.

According to the administrative summary accessed by El Mostrador, these services are said to have been offered between the years 2024 and 2025.

The crux of the accusation, detailed in Minister Gajardo’s resolution, is that these services are «directly related to the functions they perform at the CAPJ.»

The Supreme Court suspects that the officials may have used knowledge, information, or developments garnered during their public duties to subsequently sell them privately.

Additionally, the summary reveals that the three professionals may have been contracted by the Dominican Republic. It was also established that they had offered services in Argentina and Chile through the company Innovectio SpA, of which they are partners.

In light of these serious findings, Minister Gajardo not only proceeded with the internal disciplinary process but also considered that the investigated actions could amount to the crime of incompatible negotiation, as outlined in Article 247 bis of the Penal Code. Consequently, she forwarded all pertinent details to National Prosecutor Ángel Valencia for the potential initiation of a criminal investigation.

Origin: An Anonymous Tip and an Extraordinary Session

According to official information gathered by the cited outlet, the case originated from an anonymous complaint submitted on October 20, 2024, via the Judicial Power’s internal reporting channel. The alert was taken with such concern that, just two days later, on October 22, the case was presented in an extraordinary session of the Judicial Council.

This body, citing the «seriousness and importance of the facts,» resolved to instruct a disciplinary investigation and, considering the potential international implications and the high status of those involved (corporation heads), decided to assign the inquiry to a Supreme Court minister, placing responsibility on Minister Gajardo Harboe.

Defense of the Investigated Officials

Inquiries made by El Mostrador reveal that the three involved officials have confirmed through a joint statement that they are currently exercising their defenses within the administrative process, as guaranteed by the procedure.

However, they expressed their discontent regarding the leak of details from the summary to the press, arguing that such actions «damage their honor and affect the principle of innocence.» Concerning the specific charges, they maintained that they cannot provide detailed accounts at this stage, citing the confidential nature of the process.

«We cannot respond with truthful information, as we respect the secrecy that currently pertains to this procedure. However, we are focusing all our efforts on our defense. We have not violated any regulations,» stated the investigated parties.

This summary unfolds in a sensitive context for the CAPJ and the Judiciary, an entity that in recent years has faced criticism and controversies surrounding transparency and resource use. The investigation highlights the development and commercialization of technological systems and judicial modernization, areas where the CAPJ has made significant investments and that would seemingly lie at the core of the private services under scrutiny.