OFF THE CUFF: Martinelli soap opera turning to drama

FORMER PRESIDENT Ricardo Martinelli has frequently referred to the trials in Italy relating to alleged multi-million dollar bribery in Panama as “soap operas.” On Thursday, December 11, the soap moved closer to court room drama as a key figure who was feted in Panama by the Martinelli government got a sentence higher than he had bargained for, with more trials to come.

 Valter Lavítola, was condemned in Naples, Italy on Thursday, December 11 ,to three years in prison for attempted extortion of the Italian company Impregilo at the request of the former government of Ricardo Martinelli .

The prosecutor Vincenzo Piscitelli had asked one year in prison and $6,200 fine but the judges decided on three years and an order to pay $ 2,000.
The judges ruled that Lavítola is guilty of being the channel of threats and pressures expressed by former President Martinelli that Italian company must fund the construction of the pediatric hospital in Veraguas, for $ 22 million in exchange for future bids for public works.
The sentence is added to 11 months of imprisonment agreed between the prosecution and the Lavítola’s defense,  on charges of international corruption in Panama, linked to the same hospital, promised by the former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2010.

This agreement will have to be validated by a court of Naples on Dec. 18.
In Addition, Lavítola faces two other processes that have to do with Panama reports La Prensa.
In the Court of Rome, the former director of the Finmeccanica conglomerate Paolo Pozzessere is accused of allegedly diverting $25 million in bribes for awards to the Italian conglomerate. This judgment is called for Tuesday of next week.
Lavítola is under investigation in the Court of Naples, for diverting $20 million in the modular construction of prisons missed by Svemark and overcharged by another $26 million. Prosecutors are expected to call arial in the coming days.
The Panamanian government will await explanations of the Judicial College of the Sixth Section of the Court of Naples on the sentencing of Lavítola today.