Martinelli lawyers skip Supreme Court hearing

WITH ex-president  Ricardo Martinelli behind bars awaiting extradition in Miami awaiting extradition his lawyers apparently have bigger things on their minds.

Which may explain their no-show at a  Wednesday Supreme Court hearing of the case involving the granting of 355 pardons by Martinelli in June 2014, shortly before completing his term. Martinelli is being investigated for the alleged commission of crimes against public administration including granting pardons for criminal offences like homicide.

Judge José Ayú Prado rescheduled the hearing into for next Wednesday and warned that if Martinelli’s lawyers do not appear, he will appoint a public defender.

In a note dated Monday, Martinelli lawyer Sidney Sittón said that he could not attend the hearing because he had to travel to Miami, where his client has been imprisoned for two days. Martinelli

was taken into custody on an extradition request by Panama in another case involving illegal surveillance.

Sittón has only been on the case for two days, according to a note sent to the Court by Mario Martinelli, the former president’s brother, who is also facing criminal investigation

On May 10, at a hearing requested by prosecutor Abel Zamorano, the former president was represented by another lawyer. Sittón appeared only as “spokesperson.”

On that day, Zamorano asked Ayú Prado to declare Martinelli “in default” since he did not appear

even though he was duly notified. Ayú Prado denied the request and chose to declare a “recess” until June 14 to give Martinelli a chance to appear personally and hear the charges against him.