Second Supreme Court judge facing Assembly tribunal

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY prosecutor and judges who will handle the investigation of allegations against Supreme Court judge Victor Benavides were chosen on Wednesday, May 15.

The full National Assembly chose Panameñista Deputy Jorge Alberto Rosas as prosecutor. Rosas said after his appointment that he assumed the responsibility, “with caution and obligation” and attached to the Criminal Procedure Code.
He said his first task will be to fully absorb the complaint, that so far “has not been done.”
“The first thing we should note is that you have to have respect for the judge Benavides, a brilliant legal mind in the Republic of Panama,” said Rosas.

The prosecutor has a period of two months to read the documentation of the lawsuit filed against Benavides who is being investigated for the alleged commission of offenses against public administration by selling decisions and sexual integrity. He has been accused by his former bodyguard, now serving a prison sentence for attempting to kidnap the judge’s mother.

The judges chosen by the Credentials Committee are: Ana Matilde Gomez (Independent), Katleen Levy (Panamenista) and Héctor Valdés Carrasquilla (CD). Gómez and Levy were also part of the tribunal that adjudicated the case involving Supreme Court Justice Alejandro Moncada Luna, who was sentenced to 60 months in prison for unjustified enrichment in March.
Angel Gomez, attorney for Benavides, asked the Credentials Committee, to constitute the guarantees court as quickly as possible, as a negative message is being sent to the to the public, through the statements of people who have conflicts of interest with the judge and have come out in the media to affect him.