Chief Justice continues stalling over Martinellli-linked case

SUPREME COURT Chief Justice José Ayú Prado has said that he will analyze the opinions presented by the Independent Movement (Movin) about his continued role as the judge in the case involving former President Ricardo Martinelli and the Financial Pacific (FP). brokerage.

Ayú Prado met with leaders from civic organizations, including business organizations,  The  Lawyers’ Association, civil  and hu man rights groups.   for more than three hours on Friday, October 2,  to hear their concerns about the case and to discuss the state of the judiciary in general. The chief justice said he will not act on the matter until he has carefully considered all sides of the issue.

“You shouldn’t make decisions based on what is not known. We must do everything with care, always respecting the Constitution and the law,” he said.

Movin appealed to the chief justice to comply with article 13 of the Judicial Code of Ethics, which says that: “A  judge is obliged to refrain from intervening in those causes in which his impartiality is impaired or when a reasonable observer can have reason to think this is  so.”

Ayú Prado was appointed to the court by Martinelli, and he investigated FP while he was attorney general. There are allegations that he pressured a witness into recanting testimony that linked Martinelli to the case, but he has denied these claims.

The civic leaders also asked the judges of the Supreme Court to adopt mechanisms to achieve the speedy and transparent handling of corruption cases, particularly those involving Martinelli.

They also called for the revival of the State Pact for Justice, a document that was signed in 2005 with civil societies to resolve the problems of justice and better access to records.

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