Lawyers seek release of embezzlement suspects

LAWYERS for two former Ministers of Public Works who have been detained in the El Renacer prison as investigations continue  into alleged $60 million overcharging on a road project, have moved swiftly to try to get their clients released.

Federico Suárez and Jaime Ford, are under investigation  due to alleged overcharges in the expansion and rehabilitation of the Arraiján-La Chorrera, highway, and after 10 hours of questioning were ordered detained  by an anti-corruption prosecutor.

Rosendo Miranda, Suarez’s lawyer, presented an application for bail in the Fifteenth Criminal, court where he faces charges of embezzlement.

Miranda indicated that he  is waiting for the Supreme Court to resolve  an habeas corpus that is in the hands of the magistrate Jose Ayú Prado.

Miguel Batista, a lawyer at Ford, filed an application for Bail before the same court. The lawyer considers that the measure applied to his client “is  excessive and unjust. “

He reiterated that Ford did not sign the contract with the construction company Transcaribe Trading, which  was

Awarded the project in  2010 and Ford was Head of the Ministry of Public Works in 2012.

He said  that in the next few days he will file a habeas corpus before the Supreme Court.

The former public works ministers of the last government were detained on Tuesday, July 4, after 10 hours of investigation by prosecutor Adecio Mojica.

Both were taken to the Judicial Investigation Directorate in Ancón, and on  Wednesday afternoon they were transferred to the El Renacer penitentiary

Both Miranda and Batista filed appeals for protection against the petition of  the  Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, for an extension of 10 months to complete the investigation.