Wiretap victims demand action on Martinelli arrest warrant

IN OTHER Central American Countries, high level politicians allegedly involved in acts of corruption are behind bars awaiting trial or extradition to the United States, but in Panama victims of government wiretapping are still awaiting the implementation  of an arrest warrant for former president Ricardo Martinelli who is also facing multiple corruption investigations.

A group of victims  have petitioned   Judge Jeronimo  Mejia to get cracking. wrote: “We have noted with concern that , measures aimed at implementing the decision of our full Supreme Court [CSJ], have not been incorporated into the criminal file folder from the business day following the date of the arrest warrant, “the note.

Mejia, acts as investigating judge in the case.The arrest warrant was issued  by the plenary of the Supreme Court, on December 21, 2015.

Martinelli was declared “in rebellion” by Mejia himself on  December 11, when he faile to  appear at a hearing convened on that date, despite being notified.

The defense team of Martinelli  ,who  left the country on January 28, 2015 filed a habeas corpus to prevent his arrest. The appeal has not been resolved yet.

“A dilatory conduct for this purpose would be unfair and contrary to the rule of law, so we ask, respectfully, give instructions for the carrying out all legal actions by your  office, aimed at the realization of  the court order issued against [Parlacen]Deputy Martinelli Berrocal, ” says the  letter

The note is signed by wiretap victims Mitchell Doens and Rosendo Rivera, and Rodolfo Pinzon, Carlos Herrera Morán, Cecilia Torres and Francisco Carreira Pitti, lawyers for Balbina Herrera, Mauro Zúñiga, Rubén Polanco and Juan Carlos Navarro,  whose communications were also intercepted.

On  Friday Dec 8  the group held a meeting on the issue with the prosecutor Judge Harry Diaz.