Embezzlement suspects get $1 million bail

TWO MORE former ministers facing charges of embezzling millions  of dollars, with potential  8-year jail terms,  have dipped into their piggy banks and pulled out $500,000 apiece to get out of the El Renacer Prison and return to the comforts of home.

Federico Suárez (2009-2012) and Jaime Ford (2012-2014 who ruled over the Ministry of Public Works in the previous government are being investigated for possible overcharges in the project for the rehabilitation and widening of the Arraiján- La Chorrera highway. They have been detained since July 4.

On August 14,  the Second Criminal Court upheld the decision first adopted by the  Fifteenth Criminal Court, fixing bail at $500,000 each. The decision signed by magistrates Wilfredo Sáenz and Eda Gutiérrez de Jiménez, maintains the ban on leaving the country without permission.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office had appealed the decision of fifteenth court judge Leslie Loaiza. With prosecutor Adecio Mojica arguing  that bails should not be granted because the crime is serious, with a  possible sentence of 8 to 15 years in prison

However, the Second Court said that the ministers “have a fixed residence in the Republic of Panama, are Panamanians, with a family, practice a trade or profession in Panamanian territory and … there is no evidence to prove that the life and security of third persons  is threatened … or that these gentlemen will  transfer or hide bank accounts or transfer them to other people.”

The rehabilitation and expansion of the Arraiján-La Chorrera highway was awarded in 2010 to  Transcaribe  Trading for $152.3 million dollars, but in 2013 signed an addendum to the contract that raised the amount to $161.8 million dollars.