Police officers arrested in prison corruption swoop

A CAPTAIN  and a lieutenat   of the National Police (PN) have been arrested  during the investigation of a criminal network operating  in Panama prisons.
Security Minister, Alexis Bethancourt confirmed on Thursday August 11 that the two were  active participants  in the criminal gang  which altered   sentences, falsified  parole tickets  defrauded families of prisoners, manipulated prison transfers and was dismantled on Wednesday August 10.
Bethancourt said that the investigation of the case took shape through a coordinated effort between t the Interagency Auxiliary Group and the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor.
The director of the National Police, Omar Pinzon, said   that after the arraignment both officers would be referred to the Disciplinary Board for dishonoring the force.
Assistant Attorney General, Marcelino Aguilar, said details of the alleged involvement of the two  officers  are still being uncovered.

He said that statements had been taken from  the 13 people arrested Wednesday, as alleged members of the network, including serving and ex-members of the prison system.
Meanwhile, experts from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf)  are inspecting  computer equipment used by the prison boards to review paroles granted to detainees by  the network.
Aguilar ordered a review of bank accounts allegedly used to deposit money from the gang operating in the  jails.
He clarified that so far participation of employees of the judiciary had not been established  although the involvement of officials and former officials of the Directorate of Prisons, of  La Joya, La Joyita, the Women’s Rehabilitation Center and the Nueva  Esperanza jail  in Colon was confirmed.
Many inmates were favored with reduced sentences.
Bethancourt, revealed that investigations into the case were initiated last December, through Anti-Corruption Agency Group (GIA), led by Bolivar Medina,with a multidisciplinary intelligence team.

According to research, the network offered relatives of inmates probations and transfer to other prisons with a less severe prison regime.

They paid amounts ranging  from $5,000 to $70,000 to the members of the criminal organization.
This is the third network of corruption dismantled in the public sector over the past year, with arrests and charges involving officials and individuals.
The first was in the judiciary, which came with the arrest of 16 officers, and the second in the National Customs Authority, where 27 staff were arrested.

The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated in the next few days as those already in detention begin to talk