Former park administrator heads for trial to explain 42 missing bronze sculptures

Mingthoy Giro, the former administrator of Parque Omar and one time controversial head of the Panama Carnival has been called to trial to face charges of embezzlement after the mysterious disappearance of 42 bronze sculptures.

The figures of the sculpture known as Games of Yesteryear, once cited as being worth over $1,500,000 dollars are believed to have been melted down and the metal sold. The loss to the state was set at $159,402.

Giro, who was close to the former First Lady, Vivienne Torrijos could face a sentence of between one and three years in prison if found guilty.

The second anti-corruption prosecutor, Ramses Barrera, asked for Giro to appear before the Second Criminal Court, after receiving an audit report of the Comptroller, stating that there was negligence in the custody of the sculptures known as Games of Yesteryear, depicting children at play.

Barrera has also asked for the trial of former Heritage director Domingo Varela, who ordered to the figures to be kept in Parque OmarIn June  the Second Court of Justice rejected an appeal for annulment filed by the defense. The court held that prosecutors had enough evidence to investigate the former officer for the loss of the bronze figures. Several other park  employees  are also facing charges,.

Carlos Carrillo, an attorney for Giro, said that in this case the "victim has been blamed for the crime .”

He said there is no evidence that his client participated in the removal of the pieces, and said that the safety of the park was in the hands of the Institutional Protection Service (SPI).