Noriega seeks house arrest

THE ATTORNEY  for former  Panama  dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega, has  filed an application before the Second Superior Court  for  the strong man  to move from prison to  house arrest.

Lawyer Ezra Angel, said the appeal was formally presented on Wednesday, May 18.

The lawyer explained that the request is based on the health complications faced by  Noriega, mainly because of the brain tumor that has worsened and should soon  be operated upon. No date has been set for surgery.

Another aspect that the defense asks to be considered is his  age (82).   Angel said that national laws provide that, after 70 years, no person should be detained.

He also justified the application  because of  the inability of the State to provide the care required  by a  health high-risk patient health, with diminished motor skills.

“We hope that the judges resolved in strict law, safeguarding the health and life of a person, regardless of who is involved,” said Angel.

According to Angel, his client expects that now, unlike what has happened in the last four years the request  will not be treated evasively. “To date it has easier to leave everything as is … no one wants to make a decision,” he said.

The former dictator, detained in El Renacer prison was extradited to Panama on December 11, 2011.

During the Noriega regime among other crimes committed, the most memorable were, the beheading of Dr Hugo Spadafora doctor in 1985, 11 soldiers hot in the 1989 slaughter of Albrook  and there were numerous “disappearances.” Noriega has been behind bars since the US invasion of Panama in 1989. Before that he was on the CIA payroll until a falling out with President George Bush.