OFF THE CUFF: Martinellis go between ordered to appear in Panama

PANAMA’S 15th Criminal Court has issued an order for former president Ricardo Martinelli’s  private secretary Adolfo De Obarrio to appear within 10 working days to answer charges related to alleged cost overruns in the purchase of dehydrated food with funds from the National Assistance Program (PAN).

The order, issued on Tuesday June 8, said that anyone who assists Obarrio in avoiding detection by the authorities will also face criminal charges.

The order was signed by Judge Leslie Alberto Loaiza and Judicial Secretary Morales Nubiet.

There are eight other defendants in the case, all of whom have appeared before prosecutors. They are former PAN officials Giacomo Tamburrelli and Angel Famiglietti, former Comptroller Gioconda of Bianchini former ministers Lucy Molinar and Federico José Suárez, former deputy ministers María Fábrega and Marta de Varela and Rubén De Ycaza, the legal representative of Lerkshore International, the company implicated in the case.

Former President Ricardo Martinelli is also facing charges, but he is being investigated by the Supreme Court.

Judge Oydén Ortega is acting as prosecutor and the judge is Jerome Mejia.

De Obarrio left Panama on December 25 last year, after being accused of being the messenger boy carrying orders from Martinelli to the reigning director of PAN. Two former directors have fingered him as the courier.

While Martinelli was still in office, Obarrio threw an extravagant  wedding party at the Trump Tower, attended by the glitterati of the CD party, includin Martinelli ans his family,reported to have cost $700,000. The 28-year old was, at the time, being paid $5,000 a month, before deductions.