Hondutel Boss in Hiding Following Police Raid
Marcelo Chimirri, head of Honduran state telco Hondutel, is in hiding following a November 9 police raid on his residence, local press reported.
The raid follows an arrest order accusing him of abusing authority and spying on government officials, according to the reports.
The crime investigation agency DGIC recently raided Hondutel offices in the city of San Pedro Sula and confiscated equipment, following allegations that the operator allowed tapping of calls made by government officials including President Manuel Zelaya and Roberto Michelleti, president of congress, the reports said.
Zelaya himself issued the order for the search and arrest of Chimirri on October 22, but has criticized the police for being heavy handed, when according to the reports a simple citation should have sufficed.
At the time of the raid on his home, Chimirri was in the coastal city of La Ceiba inaugurating a cell phone service. Via members of his family Chimirri has sought guarantees that his human rights will be respected and due to his Italian lineage has requested asylum in the Italian consulate, the reports say.
The authorities claim to have evidence in the form of recordings, as well as various testimonies from Hondutel employees who say they were ordered to record conversations, according to the reports.
Posted to the site on 14th November 2007