Chile: Prosecutors to seek retrial of drug store executives in price-fixing case

Chilean prosecutors have introduced a motion to nullify the results of the trial, which acquitted 10 executives working for the country’s three main drug store chains. The motion is aimed at forcing a new trial on the men, accused of conspiring to fix prices in the retail pharmaceutical sector.

“Having closely analysed the ruling, we find there are errors which motivate the filing of this motion” said prosecutor Jaime Retamal. He elaborated, stating that “the ruling wrongly interprets what may be said to be a fraudulent practice or a natural price. Additionally, it fails to properly weigh the importance of several pieces of evidence.” This includes witness accounts, e-mails and other documentation.

The prosecutor declared that “had the court considered these elements correctly, or had they interpreted the legal texts properly, we believe they would have arrived to a guilty verdict.”

The motion will be analysed by Santiago’s Court of Appeals. The court will pronounce on the matter presented by the Public Ministry prosecutors over the next few days.

Source: T 13

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