No hearing is set up to hear the anticipated testimony of the businessman who denounced threats in the Sebastián Yunda case

Despite the fact that in the room on the fourth floor of the North Judicial Complex, in Quito, most of the lawyers for the eight people prosecuted for the crime of illicit association and the chamber de Gessel was prepared for the protected witness, the hearing to hear the anticipated testimony of the event organizer and music entrepreneur Gonzalo A. did not settle this Tuesday morning.

The reasons for the postponement were the non-presence in the diligence of the lawyer of the defendant former head of office of the then mayor Jorge Yunda, Cinthya Puga, who reportedly infected with Covid-19, and also because the Prosecutor’s Office had not brought the complete file of the case to the hearing, but only the body in which the version of Gonzalo A.

Prosecutor’s Office on the trail of the route of the money moved within the Sebastián Yunda case; businessman talks about threats

The hearing in which it was intended to receive the anticipated testimony was going to be directed by the criminal judge of Pichincha Máximo Ortega and Mónica Tirado attended the diligence in person, the prosecutor in the case and who requested the testimony of Gonzalo A. Thirteen days remain until the 120 days provided for the stage of prosecution are concluded.

The businessman Gonzalo A. in his version of the last November 26 gave data of the Viva Quito 2019 fair performed and in which the musical band 4AM, led by Sebastián Yunda, sought to invest, indicted in this case and eldest son of the dismissed mayor Jorge Yunda. In addition, he denounced that he had received telephone calls in which they told him “that in the case of mentioning the name of Isabel Yunda” in his version, his life and the integrity of his family “would be in danger.”

Saúl Estrella, Gonzalo A.’s lawyer, regretted that the diligence in which his client was going to disclose under oath what he knew regarding the facts under investigation was not carried out. Explained that the businessman was classified by the Prosecutor’s Office as a protected witness and entered the Victims Program and Witnesses after the initial version of the death threats made by telephone made by an individual who had not been identified.

The Prosecutor’s Office investigates in this case the existence of a structure that had access to privileged information to benefit from money from contracts related to the Municipality of Quito.

For this fact, Puga, Sebastián Yunda; Cesar Yunda, Sebastian’s uncle; Christian Hernández, former advisor to Jorge Yunda; Adrián Haro, former manager of the public company EMSeguridad; event organizer Pamela Novoa; businesswoman Nancy Gaibor and her husband, the former director of the Ecuadorian-China Chamber of Commerce Yinlong Wang.

Dolores Veintimilla, Wang’s lawyer, explained that the anticipated testimony hearing is part of the trial hearing and the defenses of the defendants have to do the exercise of contradiction and cross-examination. “It is important to have the entire tax file in the courtroom, not only to demonstrate contradictions but to ask questions of the witness. In this case, the procedure was suspended because the Prosecutor’s Office did not bring the tax file despite the fact that the law provides for it and also because one of the attorneys for the defendants was missing ”.

Judge Ortega told prosecutor Tirado that he must again request a date and time for the diligence to be carried out.

What was said in version by the businessman Gonzalo A.

Gonzalo A. last November explained that in 2019 he, his partner Esteban T. and Pamela Novoa, a trusted collaborator of the businessman, organized the Viva Quito fair, which had investments own investments and support from private companies. He clarified that for the event they had international artists such as Maelo Ruíz, Jorge Celedón, … and they were looking for national artists to “enhance the fair”.

Sebastián Yunda is requested in extradition by the judge in the case of illicit association; the procedure remains in the hands of the president of the National Court

“During this organization, a local group called 4AM contacted us by telephone, in which Sebastián Yunda plays and is a part, asking us for his desire to participate in our international fair and to promote his group. Reason why our interest in helping and promote said group. After this phone call they ask us to meet with their representatives and musicians to look at the option of performing with the most prestigious international band at our fair, “said the businessman in his version.

He recalled that they agreed to meet with the representative of the group in their offices north of Quito. There they would have raised the desire to promote and “invest” in the fair, in order that they “appear, promote and present themselves” to the 4AM group. “I meet at the 4AM group offices to listen to your proposal specifically, Mrs. Isabel Yunda calls me, she introduces herself as representative of the group, asking us to promote and be present throughout the fair. (..) After analyzing with my partner Esteban T. we decided to accept the investment proposal by the 4AM group ”.

The 4AM representatives offered to invest and help them get private support for the event, said Gonzalo A. “The investment proposal initially consisted of a contribution for advertising and development of our fair of $ 20,000 by the 4AM group ( …) With the help from various companies and the investment from 4AM we began (…) to launch the fair “.

According to the version, the technical requirements and needs of 4AM were channeled through Isabel Yunda, who is Sebastián’s mother. At the end of the version, Gonzalo A. said that due to the threats received, he preferred not to answer questions or from the Prosecutor’s Office, nor of the attorneys present. (I)