The president of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas, Emilio Moya Valdés, magistrate commissioned by the Governing Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) to investigate the possible dysfunctions that could have occurred in the investigation into the death of Romina Celeste, has concluded that, during the four years that the process has lasted, the case "has not been paralyzed at any time," but, on the contrary, the dictation of resolutions by the magistrate and the two substitute judges who were in charge of the Court of Instruction No. 1 of Arrecife during that period "has been practically continuous."
The instructor of the informative proceedings initiated ex officio by the Governing Chamber has concluded, after two days last week meticulously examining the procedure in the courts of Arrecife de Lanzarote, that there is "no indication" that any of the three instructors who acted in the case throughout these four years "could have incurred in some type of responsibility."
As planned, Moya Valdés presented this Friday his report on the Romina case, of a reserved nature, to the Governing Chamber, of which he is a natural member. From this body it is pointed out that, in view of the content of the document, it is verified that it is "a very complex matter that is being followed for the crime of homicide without the existence of a corpse", which has required the practice of numerous tests, including expert opinions, some essential for the proper instruction of the case and that, being investigative actions, belong to the jurisdictional scope, so the Governing Chamber cannot pronounce on their relevance or usefulness.
The governing body of the judges of the Canary Islands states that, nevertheless, in the investigation into the death of Romina Celeste, it is "observed some anomaly in the excessive duration of the elaboration of some expert reports, despite their extreme complexity and that, in cases such as the present one of cause with prisoner, should be avoided."
The Governing Chamber announces that, "deeply regretting what happened," to help ensure that in the future the instruction lasts "as little as possible," it will address the General Directorate of Relations with the Administration of Justice of the Government of the Canary Islands to request that "the Institute of Legal Medicine of Las Palmas be provided with the necessary means, whose report, complex, of course, has been delayed for more than two years," as well as the Modernization Service of said General Directorate, responsible for the procedural management system, so that, in all judicial documents where appropriate, the mention "cause with prisoner" appears and is visibly highlighted, in order to avoid any doubt about the preferential nature of its processing.
It is reported, finally, that the defendant in this procedure, currently at liberty awaiting trial and subject to precautionary measures (his passport has been withdrawn with the impossibility of issuing a new one, he is prohibited from leaving the country and must appear every Monday to sign in the court where he has established his residence), is complying so far with all the obligations that have been imposed on him.
