ARGENTINA-PROSECUTOR/TRIBUNAL Decision to investigate Nisman's complaint debated in court; lifestyle of late Argentine prosecutor stokes scandal

Record ID: 448747

  • Title: ARGENTINA-PROSECUTOR/TRIBUNAL Decision to investigate Nisman's complaint debated in court; lifestyle of late Argentine prosecutor stokes scandal
  • Date: 19th March 2015
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 19, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF FEDERAL COURTHOUSE ARRIVAL OF PROSECUTOR GERMAN MOLDES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROSECUTOR GERMAN MOLDES, SAYING: "Today I'm going to present the memorial, that's all I can say, later they [judges] will make the decision. [JOURNALIST ASKS: And what are the times?] No, no, t
  • Embargoed: 3rd April 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAD4AKLGR9FDNWWJ27OBVMTVY6F
  • Story Text: A federal court in Buenos Aires opened a debate to determine whether to investigate Alberto Nisman's complaint against the Argentine president on Thursday (March 19) as controversy swirls regarding the late prosecutor's allegedly lavish lifestyle.
    Last month an Argentine judge decided to discontinue the case brought forward by Nisman which claimed that Argentine President Cristina Fernandez tried to whitewash Iran's purported involvement in a 1994 bombing of a Jewish community centre that killed 85 people.
    Iran has denied having any involvement in the blast.
    The inquiry into the alleged cover-up was given to prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita, who submitted the complaint that was later dismissed by Judge Daniel Rafecas on the grounds that it lacked basic evidence necessary to open an investigation.
    Pollicita appealed the decision and prosecutor German Moldes said that the judges would decide whether to continue with the case or drop it.
    "Today I'm going to present the memorial, that's all I can say, later they [judges] will make the decision," said Moldes before heading into the courthouse.
    President Cristina Fernandez has adamantly denied Nisman's accusations, calling them absurd. To date, she has not taken legal action in the case. The government has argued that Nisman was duped by rogue intelligence agents as part of a smear campaign against her and then killed when he was no longer of use.
    Nisman, found dead in his apartment two months ago with a gunshot wound to the head, is as much at the centre of controversy now as when he was alive.
    Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez berated the late prosecutor for allegedly embezzling state funds to take prostitutes on lavish vacations, and in so doing, "mocking" the victims of the AMIA attack.
    "[regarding Nisman] He was given money to clarify the AMIA case and find out who was responsible and he spent it on women and to pay noquis [Argentine slang for an employee who gets paid without working]. So during all that time he mocked the 85 victims and the more than 300 injured from the AMIA attack. One of the most shameless people this country has ever seen," said the cabinet chief.
    While rumours abound in the South American country about Nisman's mysterious death, Sandra Arroyo Salgado, Nisman's ex wife, hired a private team of investigations to analyse the autopsy results and run additional tests.
    Earlier this month the team presented their findings, claiming that Nisman had been killed.
    Adding to the controversy, an aide to Nisman, Diego Lagomarsino, recently revealed that he kicked back about half his 41,000- Argentine peso ($4,660) monthly salary to Nisman. Lagomarsino lent the prosecutor the gun used to kill him in his Buenos Aires apartment.
    Maxmiliano Rusconi, Lagomarsino's lawyer, said that his client hadn't spoken about giving part of his monthly salary to the prosecutor because he thought it would be used to harm Nisman's reputation.
    "They hadn't asked Lagomarsino [Diego] about this information. Furthermore Lagomarsino believed that the information would be misused [that he gave part of his monthly salary to Nisman] that it wasn't part of the procedural order and that it could be misinterpreted or harm Nisman's image. That information was poured out in detail in writing and the only thing the defence is seeking at this time is that the cause remains the aim of investigating what happened to Nisman because according to this defence, that's the best way to prove our client's innocence," said Rusconi.
    In mid-January, Nisman alleged President Fernandez had tried to cover up the bombing to clinch a grains-for-oil deal with Tehran.
    Four days later, he was found with a bullet in his head and a pistol by his side.
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