Bribery whistle blower calls for subpoenas for former presidents

The investigation into allegations of bribery in Panama’s National Assembly, has a deputy calling for subpoenas to be served on two previous presidents, Ernesto Perez Balladares and Martín Torrijos.

Deputy Carlos “Tito” Afu has asked judge Alejandro Moncada to subpoena them to give evidence in a case where it is alleged massive bribes were paid to deputies to approve the signing of a contract for Multimodal Center, Industrial and Services (CEMIS).
In 2002, the then PRD legislator stood up in the Assembly holding bunches of dollars which he said had been used to bribe him and his colleagues to approve the CEMIS contrtact.

On Wednesday, August 4, Afu went to see the judge handling the case armed with a yellow folder that allegedly containing evidence of bribes, and videos of meetings of Perez Balladares while negotiating the contract.

At the end of the presentation of his affidavit, which lasted two hours, told La Prensa; he gave the prosecutor in the case evidence linking Torrijos and former legislators Balbina Herrera, Hector German and Lauretino Cortizo.

He also demanded a confrontation between Perez Balladares and the former deputy Manuel De La Hoz.

According Afu, former Attorney General Jose Antonio Sossa and former Secretary General Jose Maria Castillo did "everything to fix" the process in order to hurt him.

He argued that the companies involved in the CEMIS handled $20 to $30 million in cash, "and that was never investigated."

Afu reported that Moncada said his investigation will be impartial and he will summon witnesses acknowledging that high-profile cases often go nowhere but that will not happen with CEMIS.

Judicial sources report that other high profile names will be called next week.
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