Italy-Panama soap opera corruption trial opens

THE CORRUPTION trial, described by outgoing President Ricardo Martinelli and his supporters, as an Italian Soap opera, began Friday June 27 in Rome.
It involves Italian consortium Finmeccanica and defense contracts with Panama.

At the start of the proceedings, Judge Adele Rando certified that Panama had not sought to be a party in the case, noting its lack of legal representatives at the trial. Therefore the country had lost its last chance to be a civil party in the process and collect any damages awarded by the court.
Those damages could be as much as $25 million if the judge confirms that this amount was paid in bribes through the company Agafia Corporation, which was allegedly managed by Italian businessman Valter Laví¬tola and Panamanian Karen de Gracia to handle bribes between the consortium and Panamanian officials reports La Prensa.
The government of President-elect Juan Carlos Varela – which will take office Tuesday, July 1, – had announced Panama would be a party to the lawsuit. However, under Italian law the deadline for parties joining such a suit is the start of the trial, which was today. Therefore, Panama is excluded.