This Thursday, Jesús Ramírez Qirós, magistrate of the Third Chamber, was suspended for two months -without pay- for the controversial dismissal of a criminal case linked to the cementazo scandal.
On July 24th, the magistrates of that criminal chamber were notified of the punitive measure agreed by the Full Court during the session on July 16th.
For now, Ramírez is the only suspended judge who will comply with the sanction. Doris Arias Madrigal and María Elena Gómez Cortés -also suspended- filed a precautionary measure against the case, which was controversially accepted by a judge of the Administrative Dispute Court. With this, the sanction was stopped until the case is resolved.
The controversial efforts of both magistrates, raised in the middle of last week, are being investigated by the General Prosecutor’s Office for apparent irregularities in the processing.
In addition, Carlos Chinchilla Sandí, former president of the Supreme Court of Justice and former judge of the Third Chamber – also suspended – accepted his retirement as of July 16th; and Celso Gamboa, another former judge who was sanctioned, was dismissed in April for another administrative case against him.
Ramírez, who has been at the Chamber for 35 years, has been questioned over the years. In 1989, he received a “reprimand” from the Full Court for having pressured Judge Luz María Bolaños to issue a ruling in favor of an automotive entrepreneur.
In 1993, the Narcotics Commission of the Legislative Assembly expressly requested that a process be opened against him before the Public Ministry for the alleged crime of false testimony and alleged intentional acts. Nearly 40 legislators voted for the non-re-election of Ramírez.
In 2001, 29 legislators also voted for the non-reelection of the magistrate. Despite that, Ramírez has remained in his position.
On Tuesday, the press office of the Judiciary confirmed that Ramirez had not presented any management to qualify for his retirement, approved almost 20 years ago. Today he is 75 years old, but in March of 2017 he was re-elected for another eight years. If he does not retire first, he will complete the period when he is almost 82 years old.