45 28. On October 8, 1998, the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá certified that the case to elucidate the death of Juan Humberto Sánchez was in “the preliminary proceedings stage;”71 29. On October 13, 1998, the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá issued a commitment order against Ángel Belisario Hernández González, for allegedly having participated in the murder of Juan Humberto Sánchez. On June 23, 1999, the Second Court of First Instance sent another official letter to the Ministry of Defense for Ángel Belisario Hernández González to be brought before that court, as it had received no reply to its September 29, 1998 communication;72 30. on July 1, 1999, the Second Court of First Instance of Intibucá shelved the case to await the capture of second lieutenant Ángel Belisario Hernández González;73 31. on August 6, 2001 the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs stated that it was aware of the whereabouts of the accused, Ángel Belisario Hernández González;74 32. on November 20, 2001, the prosecutor for the Public Prosecutor’s Office appeared before the Second Court of First Instance of Intibucá and requested the necessary arrest warrants.75 On February 26, 2002, the Second Court of First Instance requested a nation-wide arrest warrant against Ángel Belisario Hernández González from the regional commanders of the police. On March 19, 20 and 21, 71 Attestation by the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá on the status of the proceeding, on October 8, 1998, in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo II,” Annex 1 of the answer to the application, p. 716. 72 Cf. Statement by José Germán Silvestrucci rendered before the Inter-American Court on March 4, 2003; Official Letter No. 390 by the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá of June 23, 1999, addressed to the Minister of Defense, in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo I,” Annex 12 of the application, p. 154; and Commitment order against Ángel Belisario Hernández by the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá on October 13, 1998 in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo II,” Annex 1 of the answer to the application, p. 717. 73 Cf. Statement by Lucinda Mena Amaya rendered before the Inter-American Court on March 4, 2003; Expert Opinion of Héctor Fortín Pavón rendered before the Inter-American Court on March 4, 2003; and Order to shelve the case file by the Second Court of First Instance of the Department of Intibucá of July 1, 1999, in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo II,” Annex 1 of the answer to the application, p. 725. 74 Official Letter No. 146 DDHN, of August 6, 2001, by the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Honduras addressed to the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo I,” Annex 23 of the application, pp. 235 to 245; Official Letter No. 0401-2001 of August 8, 2001 by the State Secretariat of National Defense of Honduras addressed to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled: “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo I,” Annex 23 of the application, p. 246; Resolution No. 20 by the State Secretariat of National Defense of Honduras on January 28, 1997, in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo I,” Annex 23 of the application, p. 247; and Official Letter Nº 047DDHN of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Honduras of July 9, 1999 in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo II,” Annex 2 of the answer to the application, pp. 729 to 732. 75 Request by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for arrest warrants on November 20, 2001, in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled; “Transcripción de audiencia pública. Excepciones/Fondo/Reparaciones, p. 24; and Order accepting the request for an arrest warrant against Ángel Belisario Hernández issued by the Second Departmental Judge of First Instance of Intibucá, dated November 23, 2001 in a file at the Secretariat of the Court entitled “Caso Juan Sánchez. Fondo. Tomo IV,” p. 1385.