Rafecas removed from Ciccone investigation after 'bias' accusations

The City’s Federal Chamber decided to remove Federal Judge Daniel Rafecas from the case investigating accusations of influence peddling against Amado Boudou, after a friend of the Vice-President, José María Núñez Carmona, accused him of being biased.

Judicial sources confirmed that magistrates Eduardo Freiler, Eduardo Farah and Jorge Ballestero all voted “unanimously,” so the case will now head to a different court and the judge to lead the investigation will be decided by drawing lots.

Rafecas had been recused by defendant Nuñez Carmona’s lawyer, Diego Perota, who once again asked on Thursday morning for the Federal Judge to be removed from the case investigating whether Boudou used his influence as Economy minister in order to lift the bankruptcy stay on the Ciccone print company.

Pirota accused Rafecas of being biased after he gave an interview to the Perfil newspaper and over a brief text message exchange he held with lawyer Ignacio Danuzzo Iturraspe, in which he referred to the case involving the Vice-President.