19
the prosecutor were probable cause to presume his responsibility. The Judge
Gonzalo Serrano Vega, in a dissenting opinion, stated that neither the existence
of an infraction or the presumptions that established Mr. Acosta Calderón’s
responsibility had been proven.49
50(41) On December 1, 1994 the Criminal Court of Napo set December 7, 1994
as the date for Mr. Acosta Calderón’s prosecution hearing.50
50(42) On December 7, 1994 the prosecution hearing was held; here the
Prosecution accused Mr. Acosta Calderón of being the perpetrator of the crime
defined and repressed in Article 33 subparagraph c) of the Law on the Control
of the Trafficking of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances, which stated that
they will “repress with extraordinary imprisonment from twelve to sixteen years
and a fine of fifty to one hundred Sucres all those that: [...] c) illegally deal the
narcotics or psychotropic drugs mentioned in List No. 1 of the III Part of the
Annex of the present Law. Illegal trafficking will be considered as all commercial
transaction, possession or delivery of any title over narcotic medications or
drugs made against the stipulations included in this law.” The Judge also
requested that the sentences established by the law for these effects be
imposed. In this hearing Mr. Acosta Calderón requested that an acquittal be
issued in his favor.51
50(43)On December 8, 1994, the Criminal Court of Napo in Tena convicted Mr.
Acosta Calderón under article 33 subparagraph c) of the Law on the Control of
the Trafficking of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances and sentenced him to
nine years in prison at the Social Rehabilitation Center in Quito, and they
ordered Mr. Acosta Calderón to pay a fine of 50,000 Sucres.52 There is no
evidence that this conviction was appealed.
50(44)On July 29, 1996, the Criminal Court of Napo ordered that Mr. Acosta
Calderón be freed for having served his sentence given a reduction made to it
for good behavior.53
50(45)Mr. Acosta Calderón remained under the State’s custody for six years
and eight months, including the five years and one month he remained in
preventive detention.
49
Cfr. dissenting Opinion of July 22, 1994 presented by Doctor Gonzalo Serrano Vega, Judge of the
First Chamber of the Superior Court of Quito (dossier of annexes to the petition, annex 10, leaf 184).
50
Cfr. ruling of December 1, 1994 issued by the Criminal Court of Napo (dossier of annexes to the
petition, annex 10, leaf 190).
51
Cfr. transcript of the prosecuting hearing of Mr. Acosta Calderón held on December 7, 1994 before
the Criminal Court of Napo (dossier of annexes to the petition, annex 10, leafs 191-192).
52
Cfr. conviction of December 8, 1994 issued by the Criminal Court of Napo in Tena against Mr.
Acosta Calderón (dossier of annexes to the petition, annex 10, leafs 214-216).
53
Cfr. ruling of release from prison of July 29, 1996 issued by the Criminal Court of Napo in Tena
(dossier of annexes to the petition, annex 10, leaf 241); and official letter of July 18, 1996 addressed by the
National Authority of Social Rehabilitation to the Head of the Social Rehabilitation Center of Ambato (dossier
of annexes to the petition, annex 10, leaf 225).