4th Martinelli Criminal investigation

The plenum of the Supreme Court (CSJ  opened a fourth criminal investigation into former President Ricardo Martinelli on Thursday September  17.

The CSJ is competent to  inestigate deputies and for this reason the prosecution sent the case on  March 5 .

Judge Jose Ayu Prado assumed the role of raporteur of the file on March 6. After five months, the plenary decided yesterday to admit the investigation.

The new investigation is the second that focuses on alleged irregularities in purchases made by the National Assistance Program (PAN).

Judge José Ayú Prado – who was appointed by Martinelli – will be the acting prosecutor.

Martinelli also faces criminal charges over illegal wiretaps and pardons he issued shortly before leaving office.

The latest investigation was prompted by an investigation by the first anti-corruption prosecutor. It is based on statements made by former PAN Director Rafael Guardia Jaen, who said Martinelli gave instructions in the purchasing of grains by the program reports La Prensa.

For the third time, the plenary of the Supreme Court discussed the four claims of unconstitutionality against the shield law and decided to make a new accumulation of records.

On August 13, the judges decided that the four claims had to be accumulated in a single file and that the rapporteur should be the judge Hernan De Leon.

The accumulation of four claims was pending to be made official by means of a resolution. However, judge De Leon took the case to the plenary on Thursday arguing that one of the demands should not be accumulated, because it included five articles of the shield law.

The plenary accepted the proposal and decided to accumulate three of the claims under the presentation of De Leon. While the other demand will have judge Agurto as reporting judge reports La Prensa..