Slow justice system provides corruption escape route

 SOME  of the 346 people charged with corruption offenses that occurred during the reign of Panama’s, ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, could get off the hook because of the tardiness of the country’s justice system.

The accused are involved in  30 high profile cases that began as a result of the corruption scandals that began in the government of the fugitive former president who leads the pack with some dozen investigations underway involving hundreds of millions of dollars, while he sits in a Miami jail awaiting extradition.

According to a monitoring chart developed by the  Justice Department  OJ, the major processes are: grains (55), food bags (39), Tonosi Irrigation (33), Odebrecht- (27), helicopter rental, (21), housing program  (17), among others.

Most cases are stuck  in several courts awaiting the resolution of multiple appeals’

In others, an extension has been granted and they have been returned to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) so that the investigations can continue, and in just a few a hearing date has been set. But those too can be further delayed as happened on Friday, August 4, when a case involving top members of the Security Council was moved to mid-September because a defense lawyer had travel plans.

Some processes seem to have no end, such as alleged irregularities in the purchase of musical instruments through the National Assistance Program (PAN), which began in July 2013 and has no hearing date yet reports El Siglo.

The statistical table shows that on  Tuesday, August 8, a preliminary hearing will be held in the case involving former tourism czar and Martinelli confident Salomón Shamah, accused of embezzlement,

Given the delays in the hearings, citizen groups have demanded that the OJ resolve the pending appeals.

But for some accused like  Freddy Pitti, Ernesto Cedeño and Anette Planels, the processes cannot be extended.