Martinelli lawyers lose extradition ploy

The well rewarded legal team of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, has lost yet another move to save their client from facing justice.

The  Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected a request to include a statement from their client in the extradition request that they will file with the U.S. government.

The Ministry said there “is no legal basis” to include the statement.

The decision was confirmed by Farah Urrutia, legal director of the Ministry, in response to statements made by Martinelli lawyer Sidney Sitton, who expressed concerns about the extradition of his client.

Urrutia stressed that the letter submitted by Sitton makes allegations that should be resolved in a court of law.

“The Supreme Court has been prolific in noting that the extradition is not being done on the merits of the case,” said Urrutia in a response to Sitton.

On Aug. 4, the Ministry requested Judge Jerome Mejía to provide an outline of the case against Martinelli, who faces charges of ordering illegal surveillance of political opponents and others during his term in office.

The court ordered the arrest of Martinelli in December 2015.

He fled Panama in January 2015 and was last seen in Miami where he owns a luxury apartment, and where he has received many high ranking players in the CD Party he founded.