Mexico Court sentenced a female principal of a private primary school to 31 years in prison on October 14 local time. The school building she approved for reconstruction collapsed in an earthquake in 2017, killing 19 students and 7 adults.
It is reported that Ernestina Godoy Ramos, the attorney general of Mexico City, Mexico City, , said on social media on the same day: "We have given justice for the victims."
Primary Principal Monica Garcia Villegas, principal and owner of Enrique Refsamen Primary School in Mexico City, was convicted of manslaughter last month. The court announced the sentencing on the 14th.
The prosecution originally requested the judge to sentence Verlegas to 57 years in prison. Throughout the judicial process, parents of children killed in schools asked the judge to send a clear message that no one has the right to manipulate other people's lives.
The family of the murdered student asked the judge to preside over justice
A source disclosed that the court also asked the defendant to pay compensation and fines to the victim's family a total of US$540,000 (about RMB 3.63 million). "The lawyer team and the victims represented were satisfied with the sentencing results," said Fernando Castillo, the attorney for the families of the victims. However, the defense lawyer for Verlegas said the parties insisted that they were not guilty and intended to appeal.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Mexico on September 19, 2017. A teaching building at Enrique Refsamen Primary School collapsed. The search and rescue continued for several days. The school became the focus of attention around the world.
Teaching Building collapsed in the earthquake
After investigation, the Mexican police believed that Verlegas had illegally approved the construction of a large apartment on the top floor of the teaching building, and the extra weight imposed on the building caused the teaching building to collapse in the earthquake. This is considered "a dereliction of duty."
Verlegas was arrested in 2019 and has always claimed to be innocent. After the police issued an arrest warrant at the end of 2017, she hid. In May 2019, she was arrested at a restaurant in Mexico City after her brother called the police. Her brother received a bounty of 5 million pesos (about 1.57 million yuan).
The earthquake killed 369 people in Mexico and collapsed in many buildings. Some experts said construction companies cut costs, coupled with corruption or incompetence from the authorities, led to the collapse of buildings in the earthquake.
Nandu reporter Shi Minglei
