Former Panama VP in detention cell

A FORMER Vice-President of Panama was handcuffed and taken away to a detention cell in Ancon after over 12 hours of interrogation r on Wednesday May 3.

Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Zuleika Moore ordered the preventative detention of former Vice President Felipe Virzi (1994-1999) for allegedly taking a $10 million bribe from Ecuadorian company Hidalgo & Hidalgo, which received $37 million for a failed irrigation project in Tonosí.
Virzì is charged with money-laundering and corruption in this case, but his name has appeared in many more investigations. Including that of jailed former Supreme Court Judge Luna Moncada, and Financial Pacific.
The businessman, 71. a key member of Ricardo Martinelli’s Zero (Inner) Circle, was questioned by Moore. for more than 12 hours.
The interrogation, which began soon after 8 am, was interrupted, when, as with other recent defendants, Virzi was taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences for a medical evaluation.
After the checkup, Virzi returned to the prosecutor’s office, where he was questioned until 10 pm He was then taken to a cell at the Department of judicial Investigation in Ancón.
His lawyer, José María Castillo, claimed the move violated the law that prevented defendants over the age of 65 from being detained prior to a trial except in special circumstances.
Castillo also noted the medical investigation revealed that the former vice president has high blood pressure and diabetes reports La Prensa.
Former Minister of Agricultural Development Óscar Osorio who signed the original $155 million contract with Hidalgo & Hidalgo in 2012 has also been summoned to appear for questioning.
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