Supreme Court rejects Martinelli appeal against arrest

PANAMA’S  full Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) rejected on Friday, February 12, two writs of habeas corpus submitted to enable  ex- President Ricardo Martinelli, to avoid arrest.

The writs  were presented by Martinelli’s team of lawyers  after the court ordered in December,  the provisional detention of Martinelli, ex-president and member of the Central American Parliament, in the case involving wiretapping of political opponent, journalist, judges and businessmen during his term in office (2009-2014).

The Court said that the  appeals were lodged on December 23,  and  January 14.

On December 21 t, the plenary of the CSJ  authorized the judge  of guarantees in this process, Jeronimo Mejia, to take measures to enforce the order of provisional detention of Martinelli in order to involve him  in the trial, after his nonappearance.

The preventive detention, according to the decision, was adopted on the basis of the declaration of “contempt”  ordered by the judge of guarantees against Martinelli on  December 11, reports La Prensa