Ex-ministers each get $500,000 bail

TWO FORMER Ministers of Public Works, embroiled in the Arriajan road widening scandal have been granted bail at $500,000 apiece.

The  Fifteenth Criminal Court granted release to Federico Pepe Suárez and Jaime Ford Castro, who are currently in El Renacer pprison whilebeing investigated over the rehabilitation and widening of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway.

The bail decision was made by  Judge Leslie Loaiza on  Friday, July 14.

The works on the highway were awarded in 2010 to the company Transcaribe Trading, S.A. (TCT).

Judge Loaiza made the decision after determining that Suarez and Ford “have complied with the

Reports or appearance “before the court, as ordered. He also took into account that on “multiple occasions” they have been granted exit from  the country and have returned. “They are not dangerous persons nor have they endangered the life of third parties “.

Both have family, work and domicile in the country, and “have faced the denunciations without trying to escape. “

Loaiza said that the decision does not mean that “the case has concluded, but they shall be released on bail until determined in a judgment  whether or not they are criminally responsible.”

The Martinelli government ministers  ministers of the last government were detained  Tuesday, July 4, after being investigated for almost 10 hours by Anticorruption prosecutor Adecio Mojica.