Request for Supreme Court special session turned down
PANAMA’S CHIEF justice turned down a request from for The Supreme Court to meet in an extraordinary session to discuss allegations that judges coerced a lower court judge to issue decisions that favored the government of Ricardo Martinelli.
The decision to negate the meeting was made by Chief Justice José Ayú Prado, a Martinelli appointment. who was one of the justices named by Judge Alexis Ballesteros who threatened him to issue decisions favorable to Martinelli.
Ballesteros also named Alejandro Moncada Luna and Wilfredo Sáenz and alternate justice Secundino Mendieta.
Last week, judges Harley Mitchell, Oydén Ortega and Victor Benavides wrote to Ayu Prado requesting an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday April 8.
By law, the chief justice is the only one empowered to convene an extraordinary session.
On Monday Yesterday, informed Mitchell and the rest of the judges that a such a meeting will not be convened and that the issue could be discussed at the regular weekly meeting Thursday..
Ballesteros, who resigned last week, said Tuesday that he has been the subject of death threats since coming forward with his allegations.