Martinelli in shadows as Panama justice reels

WHILE the Chief Justice of Panama’s Supreme Court downplays allegations of  his role in the Ricardo  Martinelli era wire-tapping scandal, victims remain concerned at the stalled court hearings, and are pressing for the former president to be brought to trial.

Lawyer Rosendo Rivera confirmed Thursday, Jan.21,  that in September 2015, he told Supreme Court Justice Harry Diaz, who is investigating former Martinelli for ordering illegal surveillance, that there was a plan to cover up the crime that was developed by Supreme Court Chief Justice José Ayú Prado and former Tourism Director  Salomon Shamah.

Rivera said the scheme involved camouflaging the numbers that Martinelli wanted to monitor, which belonged to political opponents, journalists, union leaders and others, in requests for surveillance submitted by prosecutors investigating drug trafficking and organized crime.

In an interview with La Prensa, Rivera also revealed that a public prosecutor, whose name he would not release, could also confirm the information.

The allegation has resulted in a complaint being filed against the chief justice before the National Assembly. He is accused of abuse of authority and violation of the duties of a public servant.

However, Ayú Prado y downplayed the allegations.

“It is a complaint where person A tells something to person B, and he tells person C, and then person D files a complaint about what person C heard,” said the chief justice who also has a dozen  other complaints against him, waiting to be dealt with by the National Assembly..

Díaz has also been in the spotlight recently for his claims that Martinelli tried to manipulate the election of the chief justice while he was in office. Ayú Prado sent a request to the National Assembly demanding that he show evidence of that claim, but the legislature rejected it because the chief justice failed to file it properly.

Díaz has said he is willing to appear to testify.