WIRETAPS: Supreme Court starts criminal process against Martinelli

PANAMA’S Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ), on Tuesday, June 8, opened a criminal case against the former president, Ricardo Martinelli, for allegedly committing crimes against the public administration and the inviolability of secrecy and privacy by the wiretapping of political opponents. journalisr and others during his administration (2009-2014).

Judge Harry Diaz was named as prosecutor and the investigating judge will be Jerome Mejia, who already exercised that function in the continuing case against Martinelli for the irregular purchase of dehydrated foods through National Assistance Program (PAN)
The decision was announced by the Supreme Court, at the end of an extraordinary plenary session that began at 3:00 pm
Judges who voted in favor were Diaz, Mejia, Abel Zamorano, Harley Mitchell, Oyden Ortega- prosecutor in the PAN case, Jose Ayu Prado -current CSJ president – and Secundino Mendieta, deputy for Hernán De León. Luis Ramon Fabrega dissented. Victor Benavides was not present.
Complainants were from politicians Mitchell Doens, Bernabe Perez, Javier Ujuleta, Balbina Herrera, Juan Carlos Navarro and Mauro Zuniga; Deputy Jose Luis Varela brother of President, Juan Carlos Varela; Attorney Rosendo Rivera Botello, who in the past represented Martinelli; Professor Miguel Antonio Bernal, and journalist Rubén Polanco. Each individually t sued Martinelli, and the extraordinary plenary session was convened to decide what to do with 10 complaints.
Martinelli’s court cases must be settled in the Supreme Court, because of his status as a Member of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), which he joined on July 1, 2014 while his successor was taking office. He had previously called the body “a gang of thieves” where corrupt politicians took refuge.
The Public Ministry proved that communications of about 150 people, including businessmen, journalists, civil society leaders and politicians opposed to Martinelli’s government were intercepted.
A preliminary hearing is set for August 17, 18 and 20 against Gustavo Perez and Alejandro Garuz, former directors of the National Security Council for alleged offenses against the inviolability of secrecy and privacy. Two other former officials – Ronny Rodriguez and William Pittí- are fugitives.
The investigation began on July 29 last by the Assistant Attorney General Marcelino Aguilar, and was concluded by the deputy prosecutor Ricardo Muñoz.
Garúz and Perez have been detained since January and are currently in El Renacer prison, home to former military dictator Noriega and disgraced former Supreme court Judge Alejandro Moncada Luna.