Ex-Panama president facing 8 criminal complaints

FORMER Panama president Ricardo Martinelli is facing eight criminal complaints and others are likely to follow as victims of his Security Council’s illegal surveillance discover that they were on the black list of judges, journalists.politicians and leading businesssmen.

Two of the cases cases involving Martinelli and the $45 million controversial food purchases made by the National Assistance Program (PAN.) have been combined by Judge Oydén Ortega .One is a complaint by former independent presidential candidate Juan Jované, and the other a denunciation by former PAN Director Giacomo Tamburrelli, who said that Martinelli ordered the $45 million purchase.
The other five are connected to allegations of illegal surveillance.
Meanwhile, former PAN Director Rafael Guardia Jaén,charged, with embezzlement is facing regular interrogation about allegations that there were irregularities in the purchase of rice during his time in office. He is currently being held in La Gran Joya prison.

He will ae interviewed again on Friday, January 23 on charges related to irregularities in the purchase of tires by the agency.