Court suspends investigation of Martinelli son

RESEARCH of Ricardo Martinelli Linares, son of ex-President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, for alleged irregularities in the contract awarded to  Buko televised bingo millionaire, has been suspended by order of the Supreme Court.

The suspension was ordered  by the late Gabriel Fernandez, deputy to Court president,Jose Ayu Prado on  November 30 last year, following a petition  introduved on October 27 by Luis Eduardo Camacho González, a lawyer for Martinelli Linares.

The prosecutor has been  asked to revoke a request for information on bank accounts of  Martinelli Linares and three others who are part of the company that won the concession contract: Omar Chen Chang, Jacqueline Chan Watson and Egbert Agustin Wright, managers Global Investment Group, SA.  All are being investigated for allegedly committing crimes against public administration.

The son of Martinelli is linked with San Cristobal Ltd., alleged holder of 55% of Global Investment Group, SA.

Camacho argued that the banking information was “private documents” and therefore “cannot be examined or detained without a warrant from a competent authority” reports  La Prensa..

The information  from 28 banks was requested by the Fourth  Anti-Corruption Prosecutor on October 15.

After admitting  the petition,  Fernandez sent a note on December 2 to the  prosecutor to suspend the order to research banks but only in regard to Martinelli Linares.

Fernandez died three days later-December 5.  The rapporteur Ayu Prado was on an official visit to Washington, USA, from November 30 to December 1.

Subsequently, on December 28, Ayu Prado sent a note to the prosecutor , reiterating  the suspension of the investigation of  Martinelli Linares.

In nearly nine months of operation, Buko Millionaire earned gross revenues of $12.5 million. The contract was canceled by the Gaming Control Board (JCJ) in 2014.