OFF THE CUFF Ex-Panama playboy delays bribery trial

NOT ONLY in Panama do participants and their lawyers bring hearings with links  to former president Ricardo Martinelli.

A hearing slated for today in Rome over alleged acts of corruption in a contract between Panama and the Italian defense contractor Finmeccanica has been delayed for three months.

The delay was due to the fact that defendant Valter Lavitola, once the playboy fixer of Panama, who is accused of negotiating a bribe on behalf of Panama officials and the contractor, has changed lawyers, report Italian media.

Also charged in the case is former Finmeccanica Commercial Director Paolo Pozzessere. They are accused of diverting $25 million to a shell company, acontrolled by Lavitola and Panamanian officials.

That represents 10 percent of a$250 million contract signed between Panama and Finmeccanica in 2010.

Lavitola had previously delayed the hearing by claiming he was ill.

His new attorneys, Luigi Chiappero and Carlo Pecoraro, have said they need time to prepare a defense. The next hearing will be Jan. 19.

In Panama, lawyers for Martinelli have used blocking tactics to delay charges in over a dozen cases and currently a judge is sitting on a file that he received October 9 without informing the defense, so the case is stalled.