Blue Apple trial starts without star defendants

The second liquidator judge of criminal cases Baloísa Marquínez recognized that the plenary session of the Supreme Court () has the competence to prosecute the brothers Luis Enrique and Ricardo Alberto Martinelli in the Blue Apple case after both were sworn in as deputies substitutes of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen).

The decision came one day before the start of the trial of 21 people for alleged money laundering through a basket account in the name of the Blue Apple company. The trial will be held for the rest of the defendants.

The children of former President Ricardo Martinelli were sworn in (via Zoom) five days before the Blue Apple trial began.

“It corresponds to the plenary session of the Supreme Court, the investigation and prosecution of criminal and police acts followed against a main or substitute deputy,” Marquínez mentioned in Auto Vario No. 149, in which the judge also declared herself respectful of due process and the right to defense.

The plenary of the Supreme Court will now be responsible for appointing a magistrate to act as prosecutor and, if necessary, another to act as guarantee judge.

The Blue Apple trial began Tuesday, August 22, at 9:00 am, and will run until September 11. It will be broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Judicial Branch and retransmitted by prensa.com.

The judge admitted 25 testimonial and expert evidence presented by the 12 private technical defenders and 7 public defenders, in addition to the Superior Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office

Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique have another trial pending for alleged money laundering: that of the bribes paid by Odebrecht in Panama. The judge has not yet raised the jurisdiction of that case to the Court. The Odebrecht trial begins on September 27 and former President Martinelli is also charged.