Former minister needs $150,000 bail pending fraud trial

A former Panama education Minister could be heading for jail unless he can come up with $150,000.

Salvador Rodriguez  has been denied a reduction of  the conditions of his bail, while he waits his day in court on $10 million embezzlement charges.

Bail was originally set at $150,000 and  the former minister had posted the bail using a piece of land as collateral, but a judge later ruled the land's value did not meet that requirement. It had in fact been used to post bail for several people

 Rodriguez, has been charged with embezzlement related the theft of funds intended to be used to remove fiberglass from schools. Victor Almengor, a lawyer for Rodriguez, appealed the amount of the bail, and requested that the former minister be held under house arrest. Both motions were denied.

 Rodriguez was one of 10 people charged involving the theft of more than $10 million.