Lavitola facing additional jail time
THE NAPLES, Italy, Deputy Prosecutor Vincenzo Piscitelli has asked for an additional one year prison term for Valter Lavítola on charges of extorting Italian company Impregilo for $22 million to build a hospital in Veraguas.
Lavitola was the link man between Italian congloerate Finnmecanica, former Italian Prime Ministere Berlusconnis, and the Panama government under Ricardo Martinelli,
The bribe was allegedly demanded in exchange for future contracts from the Martinelli government allegedly diverting $25 million in bribes from contractor Finmeccanica.
Panama is an offended party which gives the country the right to examine the case file, present evidence and question witnesses, reports La Prensa.
In the Court of Naples, Lavitola faces charges of diverting $20 million in funds connected to the attempted construction of modular prisons by the contractor Svemark. Martinelli has described the Italisn investigations as a soap opera.
