Martinelli son flees Panama in dads jet

EX-PRESIDENT Ricardo Martinelli’s personal jet returned to Albrook Airport on Friday to airlift one of his sons out of the country, two days after prosecutors announced the opening of an investigation into the involvement of Martinelli and his family in a consortium which develops hydro-electric projects.

Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares left for Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in the company of his brother-in-law, Alejandro Garuz Adames, son of the former National Security Council  member Alejandro Garuz, currently in jail, awaiting trial in connection with the Martinelli wiretapping scandal for which the ex-president could, if convicted for his role, face 21 years behind bars.

Garuz Adames is the manager of Corporación de Energía del Istmo Ltd., which is partially owned by the Martinelli family. In addition to hydro projects, the company has also been linked to questionable payments from entities involved in current corruption scandals.

Also with the group was Ivone Matute de Martinelli and Hilda Martinelli Matute, wife and daughter – respectively – of Mario Martinelli, brother of the former president who himself fled the country last January.

The group left Albrook at 10:30 am reports La Prensa