OFF THE CUFF: Unhappy New Year for many Martinelli associates

FORMER MINISTER of Social Development Guillermo Ferrufino whose case has slipped into the wings while the PAN scandal and the investigation of Supreme ourt Judge Moncada Luna have taken center stage will be back in the limelight early in the New Year.

One of the first tasks of Federico Humbert, Comptroller-elect will be  to investigate the former Minister for the alleged crime of unjustified enrichment

Humbert met with the outgoing comptroller Gioconda Torres de Bianchini  on December 3, when  he requested that no audit was closed because he wanted them to evaluate once he takes office next January 2nd.

The meeting between Humbert and Bianchini was held six days after the current comptroller was hospitalized in a private clinic.

At that meeting, the comptroller announced that Luis Felipe Icaza would be one that to  carry out the transition to the new comptroller due to her health conditions.

On December 12, the Minister of Social Development (Mides) Alcibiades Vasquez reported the start of an audit at the institution which was administered by Ferrufino between 2009 and 2014.

“We are hoping that the comptroller will start the audit, we have everything ready when they arrive and will cooperate as well as we have done with the first anti-corruption prosecutor,” said Minister Vásquez

The research into  Ferrufino originated November 20 when  anti-corruption prosecutors, Nahaniel Murgas (first), Lizette Chevalier (second), Victor Barrios (third) and Williams Parodi (fourth), filed a complaint o unjustified enrichment of former minister of the government of Martinelli, reports La Prensa,

Prosecutors said that their investigations found evidence that could point to the possible commission of the crime.

According to Law 59 of 1999 the comptroller has the power to investigate crime of unjustified enrichment. If evidence of the offense is found it must must be referred to prosecutors.

Prosecutors have seized a Ferrufino house in Los Altos de Albrook, valued at more than $1 million, another beach property in Coronado, bought for $500,000 and an estate of 24 hectares located in the village of Herrera, in La Chorrera in the name of his  his wife, Milena Vallarino de Ferrufino.

 Ferufino who once regarded ex-president Martinelli as his mentor, and had his own presidential aspirations, might want to ponder over “Happy New Year” greetings from his fast shrinking list of hangers-on.

Martinelli too has challenges to face in 2015, with increasing calls in Panama for prosecutors to investigate him, and the Panama bribery scandal still before the courts.