Court order issued for ex-tourism boss
AN ORDER to bring former tourism manager Saloman Shamah to court has been issued by Twelfth Criminal Court Judge Lania Batista, following his repeated failures to appear for a criminal trial.
Shamah, while boss of The Panama Tourism Authority (ATP), was believed to have been a key player in dirty tricks strategies for the CD Party and ex-president Ricardo Martinelli.
He is charged with alleged embezzlement, resulting from the signing of a contract for the onstruction of a tourist berth in Rio de Jesus, in Veraguas.
Batista rejected an application against the order to bring him to court filed by Hermes Quintero,
The ex-official did not attend several summonses to appear for investigation.
An audit report of the Comptroller General showed that Building Services Corporation, which was awarded the contract to build the berth, had no experience in this type of work,. The project was awarded by the ATP at a cost of $135,000.
The chances of him appearing in court are slim, as the Colombian born close confidant of Martinelli,who has been named in several corruption investigations was last seen parting in a Bogota disco.
