Panama to play role in $25 million Italian bribe case
PANAMA has been admitted as the offended party in the Italian international corruption case against Valter Lavítola and Paolo Pozzessere suspected of being the architects of diverting up to $25 million in bribes on behalf of Finnmecanica to the recipients former President Ricardo Martinelli and other administration officials.
Thus, reports La Prensa Panama has been established as part of the crime, but this does not give the right in this lawsuit to claim economic compensation, for the damage suffered. The legal form of the damaged part is by definition different in form and substance, of a civil action, which would have allowed the new government of Panama to direct a claim against two Italian defendants, Lavítola and Pozzessere, and upon conviction for the accused , demanding compensation.
According to the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure, which stated in Articles 90, 91 and 92 the rights and privileges accorded to the figure of the injured party, Panama will have a semi-active role in criminal proceedings, allowing the country to review the synthesis, attend hearings, ask questions of witnesses and defendants, through public prosecutor, Paolo Ielo and present evidence.
However, their ability for legal action is limited to the investigation stage, since they cannot appeal an acquittal in the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.